He hastily thrust the drawing one side and went on now more eagerly with his quest.
The only remaining things in the package were a large envelope, containing a few photographs, and a very heavy piece of parchment—more like cardboard—about five inches wide and eight long, and upon which there was some writing in cipher that he could not read.
It seemed to be there more as a foundation to build the package than anything else, and Mr. Dalton, attaching no importance whatever to it, pushed it one side and turned his attention to the pictures.
One by one he took them up and looked at them, but there was no familiar face, and they were mostly pictures of young boys and girls, evidently schoolmates of Earle’s.
At last he came to what seemed to be one carefully inclosed in a separate envelope.
He opened this, and found that its contents were wrapped about with tissue paper.
“Some pretty girl who has captivated his boyish fancy. Who knows but it may be a picture of Editha herself?” he muttered, with a scornful smile.
He removed the wrapper, and two pictures dropped upon the table, and also a lock of auburn hair, tied with a blue ribbon.
He took up one of the pictures with a yawn.
Surely this was not worth the loss of so much sleep and the treachery he had employed to gain his object.