Soon after he arose, and taking a candle retired to his room, which proved to be directly back of the one which Ralph Moulton occupied.
The house was a wide building, with a hall running through the center. The public room and kitchen were on one side of this, and on the other the keeping-room and dining-room; and overhead were chambers corresponding.
Between the room which the Moultons occupied and that belonging to the strange man was a huge chimney, leaving quite a space on one side for closets, one in each room, which were separated from each other only by a thin, loose, board partition.
The man, on entering his room, set his candle upon a table. He then began to disrobe himself, first removing a huge wig and heavy pair of whiskers, revealing the black, curling locks and handsome face of Ralph Moulton’s ally, Ronald Edgerton.
“I guess the old rascal couldn’t have known me, anyhow,” he muttered, with a complacent smile at the transformation, “but I felt rather ticklish when they came in so unexpectedly. To think that youngster should be so near me and not——”
He stopped suddenly, and looked around as if he feared some one might overhear what he was about to utter. Then, heaving a deep sigh, while a look of sadness overshadowed his face, he removed his coat.
“Well, I must to work now. I am bound to know if he has it in his possession. If I do not find it to-night I shall give up the game.”
Saying which, he took a small screw-driver from the table drawer, and going into the closet, listened intently.
He could hear nothing but the sharp rattling of dishes and the low muttering of voices.
He then cautiously applied his screw-driver, and removed an already loosened board at one end of the partition, and out of sight of the door, so that any one going to the closet would not discover the aperture.