“And we haven’t the remotest idea of where that mysterious secret drawer may be!” Miss Susanna’s small hands went up in a despairing gesture.
“Some Chinese puzzle,” Leslie commented.
“Maybe the secret drawer is somewhere in the Chinese room,” came as a sudden inspiration from Marjorie, prompted by Leslie’s mention of the word “Chinese.”
“It may be there.” Miss Hamilton cast a half startled glance at her companions. “The room has a number of odd Oriental stands and cabinets, any one of them might easily contain a secret drawer. To find it, though!” Up went her hands again. “A needle-in-the-haystack search, I’m afraid. I know less about the Chinese room than any other room in the house. Jonas is far more familiar with it than I. You’ll have to be chief hunter, there, Jonas.”
“I guess I will.” Jonas looked pleased at being thus appointed to the search.
“One thing is certain. The secret drawer must be found. It is somewhere in this house which narrows down the area to be searched to the few rooms Uncle Brooke continually used,—his bedroom, his study, the Chinese room and the library. Of the four, I should say the library is the least likely to contain it. The only piece of furniture in here that might contain it is the library table. I doubt the possibility of there being a secret drawer in it.”
Miss Susanna rose, went over to the massive, claw-legged mahogany table, and began a slow prowl about it, her sharp eyes taking in its every detail. Jonas had already begun the search, tapping the sides of the table as he peered along the carvings of them for what might prove to be a cunningly concealed spring. He opened the drawers of the table, subjecting the inside of them to the same careful examination.
“There’s no secret drawer in this table,” was his opinion, spoken at the end of his methodical investigation.
“I’m satisfied, too, there isn’t,” agreed the mistress of the Arms. “Tomorrow, Jonas, we will tackle the study. There may be another secret drawer in the study desk besides the one of which we know. This afternoon I want you to go to Hamilton and see what you can learn regarding Lawyer Norris. If we should be lucky enough to find the secret drawer within the next few days it won’t be necessary to start an investigation, regarding the fifty thousand dollars involved in this affair. The one note plainly states Uncle Brooke’s intention of offering a fifty thousand dollar honorarium to Hamilton College under certain conditions, laid down by him. The note of later date states that he completed some sort of arrangement for it with Lawyer Norris. As a trust fund the fifty thousand would have, probably, been deposited in bank at once by Norris. Uncle Brooke used the Hamilton Trust largely, although he was a depositor in several New York City banks. If he gave his check for the honor fund to Norris, together with instructions to him to deposit the check, it may be the Hamilton Bank was used for the transaction. In such case the bank should have the record of the transaction. If so, why was I not notified of it soon after Uncle Brooke’s death?” Miss Susanna’s question was asked with hurt belligerence.
“An arrangement entire separate from your kinsman’s other financial affairs may have been made by him with Norris,” Leslie hazarded. “His notes state his confidence in Norris. No doubt then he made the check out to Norris. Of course he might have given him bonds instead.”