midnight
In the corner was the safe , still hot and steaming . It had stood the strain . But it showed marks of having been tampered with . `` Somebody used a ` can-opener ' on it , '' commented Garrick , looking at it critically and then ruefully at the charred wreck of his optophone that had tumbled in the ashes of the pile of books under which it had been hidden , `` Yes , that was the scheme they must have evolved after their midnight conference , -- a robbery masked by a fire to cover the trail , and perhaps destroy it altogether . '' `` If we had only known that , '' I agreed , `` we might have saved what little there was in that safe for Warrington . But I guess he did n't keep much there . '' `` No , '' answered Garrick , `` I do n't think he did .