Madge thrust her hand into the dark opening. Her face brightened as she felt something not unlike a leather jewel case. She brought it to light, holding it up.
“Oh!” Cara exclaimed in disappointment. “It’s nothing but an old book.”
“A diary,” Madge corrected. “Well, I guess it was too much to expect that we’d find the pearls. I suppose Miss Swenster knows about this compartment but let’s ask her.”
They stepped to the door and called. Miss Swenster answered from the kitchen, and later entered the study, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Look what we found in the desk,” Madge said, handing her the diary. “I must have touched a hidden spring when I was dusting. The panel fell down to reveal this.”
Miss Swenster moved quickly to the desk, her face showing that the information astonished her.
“I never dreamed there was a secret compartment,” she said. “This desk belonged to Florence Swenster, you know.”
“Then the diary may have been hers too,” Madge observed.
Miss Swenster opened the little book and quickly ran through the yellowed pages. The writing was cramped and difficult to read.
“Yes, this is Florence’s diary, I am sure of it. I have seen her writing on a number of old letters.”