Proceeding directly to Mr. Brewster’s private drawer, the number of which he had long known, he unlocked and drew it out, setting it upon the floor.
It contained several packages of papers. But these held no interest for him; he merely gave them a passing glance, then began to look for the slot in the iron panel at the back of the aperture.
It required close searching to find it, but his efforts were finally rewarded, whereupon he inserted the last of his keys, turned it half-around, when the panel sprang outward, as Mr. Brewster had described.
It appeared to be swung upon hinges, and, lifting it up, Gerald could distinguish within the little vault thus disclosed a box of some description.
He drew it from its place of concealment.
It proved to be a beautiful Japanese affair, inlaid with gold and mother-of-pearl in an intricate pattern. There was a tiny key in its lock, and for fear that it might drop out and be lost, Gerald removed it and transferred it to a pocket in his vest, without once thinking that he had it in his power to inspect the contents of the casket, if he chose to do so.
Putting it carefully down upon the floor, he looked for the other. He found it shoved away back in the secret vault. It was much larger than the other—a common, though strong, wooden receptacle—and it was also locked, while there was no key with it.
Gerald felt quite sure that the Japanese casket must contain the jewels of which Mr. Brewster had spoken, and which were to be given to Allison. Doubtless they were very valuable, and would be doubly precious to her because they had once belonged to and been worn by her mother.
He would probably see them upon her person some day; but, strange to say, he did not feel half so curious about them as he did regarding the contents of the larger box, for he had been impressed by Mr. Brewster’s manner and expression when he had said that it contained “nothing of special value to any one—except myself.”
However, he felt that it was no business of his what either held; his duty lay simply in conveying them safely to his employer.