Page 44 - A Jacobite Exile

"They went straight to the cabinet with the pull-down desk, where Sir
Marmaduke writes when he does write, which is not often. It was locked,

and I went to Sir Marmaduke for the key.

"'You will find it in that French vase on the mantel,' he said. 'I don't open
the desk once in three months, and should lose the key, if I carried it with
me.'

"I went to the mantel, turned the vase over, and the key dropped out.

"'Sir Marmaduke has nothing to hide, gentlemen,' I said, 'so, you see, he
keeps the key here.'

"I went to the cabinet, and put the key in. As I did so I said:

"'Look, gentlemen, someone has opened, or tried to open, this desk. Here is
a mark, as if a knife had been thrust in to shoot the bolt.'

"They looked where I pointed, and William Peters said to Cockshaw, 'It is

as the man says. Someone has been trying to force the lock--one of the
varlets, probably, who thought the knight might keep his money here.'

"'It can be of no importance, one way or the other,' Cockshaw said roughly.

"'Probably not, Mr. Cockshaw, but, at the same time I will make a note of
it.'

"I turned the key, and pulled down the door that makes a desk. They
seemed to know all about it, for, without looking at the papers in the

pigeonholes, they pulled open the lower drawer, and took two
foreign-looking letters out from it. I will do them the justice to say that they
both looked sorry, as they opened them, and looked at the writing.

"'It is too true,' Peters said. 'Here is enough to hang a dozen men.'