The spider and the fly

by Charles Garvice

While she was gone, Mr. Boner examined the door.

"We shall want a screwdriver," he said; "the door is screwed up."

A servant was dispatched for the tool, and Mr. Thaxton himself unscrewed the door.

"The screws are quite rusty," he said; "the door has not been opened since the day on which it was first closed thus."

"No," said Violet, "it has never been opened," and, as she spoke, she unlocked it.

There was a few moments of silence, during which the lawyer's acute eyes had taken an inventory of the room and its contents.

"Yes," he said, "the room has evidently not been entered for years. Have you the keys, Miss Mildmay?"

Violet handed him a bunch of keys.

The doctor followed the lawyer into the room, and, drawing forward chairs, dusted them and requested Violet and Mrs. Mildmay to be seated.