She pulled the drawer open. It contained a few articles of feminine
attire and a thick black leather portfolio. She lifted this out, laid it
on the table and opened it. It was filled with foolscap. Written on the
cover was the word "Argentine" and somehow the writing was familiar to
her. It was a bold hand, obviously feminine.
"Where have I seen that before?" she asked, and knit her forehead.
She turned the first leaf and read:
"Alsigar Hotel, Fournos, Proprietor, Miguel Porcorini. Index 2."
Her mouth opened in astonishment and she ran down the list. She took out
another folder. It was marked "Canada," and she turned the leaves
rapidly. She recognized this work. It was the same work that Beale had
given to her, a list of the hotels, their proprietors and means of
conveyance, but there was no reference to the police. And then it dawned
upon her. An unusually long description produced certain characteristics
of writing which she recognized.
"Hilda Glaum!" she said. "I wonder what this means!"
She examined the contents of the drawer again and some of them puzzled
her. Not the little stack of handkerchiefs, the folded collars and the
like. If Hilda Glaum was in the habit of visiting Deans Folly and used
this room it was natural that these things should be here. If this were
her bureau the little carton of nibs and the spare note book were to be
expected. It was the steel box which set her wondering. This she
discovered in the far corner of the drawer. If she could have imagined
anything so fantastic she might have believed that the box had been
specially made to hold the thing it contained and preserve it from the
dangers of fire. The lid, which closed with a spring catch, released by
the pressure of a tiny button, was perfectly fitted so that the box was
in all probability air-tight.
She opened it without difficulty. The sides were lined with what seemed
to be at first sight thick cardboard but which proved on closer
inspection to be asbestos. She opened it with a sense of eager
anticipation, but her face fell. Save for a tiny square blue envelope at
the bottom, the box was empty!
She lifted it in her hand to shake out the envelope and it was then that
the idea occurred to her that the box had been made for the envelope,
which refused to budge until she lifted one end with a hairpin.
It was unsealed, and she slipped in her finger and pulled out--a pawn
ticket!
She had an inclination to laugh which she checked. She examined the
ticket curiously. It announced the fact that Messrs. Rosenblaum Bros.,
of Commercial Road, London, had advanced ten shillings on a "Gents'
Silver Hunter Watch," and the pledge had been made in the name of van
Heerden!
She gazed at it bewildered. He was not a man who needed ten shillings or
ten dollars or ten pounds. Why should he pledge a watch and why having
pledged it should he keep the ticket with such care?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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