"And you have seen the drawing better executed in carving. Cyrus, what is the first letter of the motto?"
"'A'--for Aquila--eagle. Yes?"
"And the last letter?"
"'S,' the terminal for muscas for flies. Well?" She caught me by the hand. "Come into the smoking-room and light the lamps."
"Oh, by Jove!" I saw her meaning now. She referred to the heavy beam across the smoking-room to which Mr. Monk had drawn my attention. We ran, hand in hand, like children, into the dark room. Gertrude struck a match and I, taking the box from her hand--and a shaking hand it was--struck another. In a few moments the powerful oil lamps were illuminating the room brilliantly. We both looked at the beam.
"An eagle catching flies," cried Gertrude, pointing--" Aquila non capit muscas. My ancestors' queer old motto. The diamonds are there."
"Hidden in the beam?"
"Of course. Come and get a ladder from the outhouse. No; that won't do, as Eliza is so filled with curiosity. I don't want her to suspect anything. What are we to do?"
"I can place this chair on the table, and as I am tall I can easily reach up to the beam," I said, suiting my actions to my words. "Close the door, Gertrude, so that Eliza can't come spying."
Gertrude, who was all excitement, promptly locked the door. "But how are you to get the beam open? Shall I get an axe?"