“Drat it all!” they heard him mutter to himself. “That’s the right combination. It ought to open.”
At length the old man’s efforts were rewarded. As he manipulated the dials for the third time there was a significant click from within the safe.
Chuckling to himself, Caleb turned the handle and swung open the steel door.
Save for a long metal box, the safe was empty. In the act of reaching for the container, Caleb suddenly wheeled.
The girls were startled at the action for they had heard nothing.
After looking searchingly about the room the old man apparently was satisfied that he was alone. With an uneasy laugh he again turned his attention to the safe.
“Guess I’m getting a mite jittery,” he muttered. “I was positive I heard someone behind me just then.”
He thrust his hand into the safe and drew out the box. With fumbling fingers he unfastened the lid. A smile illuminated his wrinkled face as he regarded the contents.
“Still here, safe and sound. I was a little afraid——”
Without finishing, he lifted an object from the box and held it in the light. It was a tiny figure made of purest ivory.