"That little knob that you see there, sir," said Plimmer, in her diffident, well-trained voice, "is the head of a brass pin; if you draw it out, sir, it releases the side drawer. I think you will find more letters there,--at least that is where Master Jasper's letters are, I know." She looked furtively at Vanderlyn, and her look said, "If you want to have the truth you shall have it!" "I say, how queer!" exclaimed Pargeter. "A secret drawer! eh, Grid?" "All old pieces of furniture have that kind of thing," said Vanderlyn, "there isn't any secret about it." Pargeter fumbled at the brass-headed pin; he pulled it out, and a drawer which filled up the side of the davenport shot out. Yes, here were more packets inscribed with the words, "Jasper's letters, written at school," and then others, "To be returned to Laurence Vanderlyn in case of my death;" and two or three loose letters. "Well, these won't tell us anything, eh, Grid?" Pargeter opened the first envelope under his hand:-- "Dear Mammy," (he read slowly), "Please send me ten shillings. I have finished the French cherry-jam. I should like some more. Also some horses made of gingerbread. I have laid 3 to 1 on Absinthe. Betting is forbidden, but as it was Dad's horse I thought I might. My bat is the best in the school. "Your loving "Jasper." "He's a fine little chap, isn't he, Grid?" Pargeter was fingering absently a yellowing packet of Vanderlyn's letters: "Fancy keeping your old letters! What a queer thing to do!" Vanderlyn said nothing. The maid stared at him stealthily. At last Pargeter put the packet down, and deliberately opened yet another envelope which lay loose. "I suppose this is the last note you wrote to her?" he said, then, opening it, murmured its contents over to himself:-- "Dear Peggy, "I hear the show at the Gardinets is worth seeing. I'll call for you at two to-morrow. Yours sincerely, "L. V." "Well, it's no use our wasting any more time here, is it? We'd better go downstairs and have a smoke. Why--why, Grid!--what's the matter?" "It's nothing," said Vanderlyn, roughly, "I'll be all right in a minute or two----" "I don't wonder you're upset," said the other, moodily. "But just think what it must be for _me_. I can't stand much more of it. It's been simply awful since Peggy's brother and that cousin of hers arrived. They treat me as if I were a murderer! They're at the Prefecture of Police now, making what they're pleased to call their own enquiries." They had left Peggy's room, and as he spoke Pargeter was leading the way down a staircase which led into his smoking-room. Once there, he shut the door and came and stood close by Vanderlyn.