From the stillness above came a long-drawn, reassuring snore, and relieved he plodded on again until he reached the top.
Storm’s door was closed, but he turned the handle noiselessly and opening it inch by inch, peered within. Storm was fast asleep, his jaw drooping and upon his relaxed face the hint of an expression which George had never seen before. He looked almost as if he were smiling; smiling at something that was not pleasant to see.
Then George’s eyes softened as they traveled down the out-flung arm to the inert hand resting against the valise. Poor old Norman! Even in sleep he cared for her, he reached out to touch the receptacle in which were her letters, all that remained to him of her! No one else could realize how much he had cared, he was so self-contained, but George knew!
He glanced somewhat doubtfully at the clothes tumbled upon a chair. Would the key-ring be there in one of the pockets? Somehow, he didn’t quite like the idea of going through them. His eyes traveled to the bureau and rested upon the little heap of coins and a watch and other small objects, and he tiptoed over to examine them. There lay the key-ring!
He picked it up and, turning, gave one last look at the sleeper. At that moment Storm’s face twitched and the hand against the valise flexed, then slowly relaxed again. Still thinking of her!
George tiptoed out the door and closed it noiselessly behind him.
Chapter XXVII.
In the Library
George returned to the library, and sorting the smaller keys from the others on the ring he tried them one after the other in the lock of the trunk. He was beginning to despair when at length one fitted, and snapping down the hasps he threw back the lid.
They could not have packed very well, he and Norman, or else the expressmen had been unusually rough in handling the trunk. Its contents had been flung about in wild disorder, and George thought ruefully of the delicate clock and the glass ink-well of the desk set.
He picked out the caps and a mackinaw which might come in handy, and was on the point of closing the trunk when he hesitated. It might be as well to see if that clock were damaged or not; it had been Leila’s gift and George knew how much Norman thought of it.