Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-10
CHAPTER III.

and summary it oil looked Ladies'
fingers can so easily give simple deco
rations an air Of grace and refinement.
Then she left that room and went into
the one behind these two had been
dear old Mr.. nsrbutt's rooms, and also
these Of the tiresome Miss Paynes.
This back room was shady, and at
once the blind was drawn up to the
top aud the window thrown open es
high as it would &c.
There was in the room an old chest
Ct drawers, the piece Of furniture that
Mr.. Harbutt had once said was worth
more than all else the room contained
put together.
1t was beautifully made, the dark
old oak was Of the finest Grain, and
how delicately were the Jennings aud
corners fitted, A Ieeded line was
carved or turned at the frontage Of
each drawer; on its top, too, making
an artistic border or finish to its level
polish, there was the same reeded de-
coration running four-square. Each
drawer had two pendant aud TRAN
gulsr brass handles. They copy these
old things nowadays, but this Was a
veritable antique.
Five drawers in ali, and in the top
and most shallow one key protruded
from its keyhoIe. Maud remembered
the whole thing a. long as she remem-
bered any thing, for in olden days it
had stood in the nursery. In those
days the top shallow drawer was just
as exactly level as the other drawers
had been fancy methodical nurse al
lowing that Iight-hsnd corner to pro-
ject in that unsightly way! If the
piece OF furniture had not been 80
seasoned by age one might have sup
posed that the wood had warped at that
one corner.
Maud was bent upon Strengthening
it. All the four lover drawers were
provided with their fresh white paper
lining, and now somehow some one
had locked this top drawer, had forced
the lock and bent the key.
"We'll have you straight" was
Maud's cry to herself, and she worried
the old key.
Never a bit would it move. except
indeed 10 fix itself more firmly within
the intIicacies Of the lock.
"l'll physic you" Maud cried.
A moments run down stairs for
some oil, and "physic " was used.
Some few more wriggling5 and turn-
irgs, and hey, presto the magic is
done, The lock is loosened, the dra yer
IS opened
However, opened does not mean
simultaneous cure of its uneven cor
Ter. On! no. Pushing and dainty
humoripg arc neither Of any avail, the
drawer simply will not work to it
pristine level.
But Maud had a strong will sad q
mind that probed to the reason Of
things. In trice she had the rebel
lious drawer out Of its grove and igno-
minioully laid at her feet, while sup
pie white arm was barred to the c.
bow and went on a search within tha
,hallow space. From end to en1 ARA
and fingers went seeking-tben tae
sinner was captured. The girls pref
~ fingers, all covered with dust sBa
bue, me; The crisp crack.e o! firm
paper.
"Ah :" was Mauds quick little cry.
The paper was cut before the ligh.
of The sumner sun. Thin, grsy-hacd
paper, tightly pressed once, but nov,
by some inherent strength surely,
loosening from its pressure and clash
caliy unfolding itself.
ono fold-some printed words. anu
figures. Bah How dusty it was
Another icld urdone--some foreign
words quite clear. "D'ltalia.' Whli
was it;
Had the thing really sons magic in
it? Maud's face became scarlet; then
all the cclor fed from it, and, leayin2
drawer and dust and white paper il
confusion On the door, the girl ran ~
the stair-head aud called
Mother Kate Come quick
Both were busy, but such a voice Of
alarm-yes, Maud was really terri
iled-was not TO be disIegarded. They
were upstairs in few seconds.
( I've opened the drawer She
said.
&" 50 we perceive. Have you found
dead mouse behind III"
/ Kate, seeing Maud unframed, was
naturally bit ruttied at having beer
unnecessarily excited by the cry.
mo; have found this
Now Maud was premaiuraly still
She held out the strange paper, 10y
/ this time yet more unrolled.
As Kate took it, it resolved i'ssII
into not one paper only, bat four pa
pers, Of which the corners shook them
selves apart. One had square bits cui
out-yes, decidedly cut out.
bonds, mother" Kate gssped.
Don't talk nonsense, child
/ Kate was not listening. She had hao
10 become acquainted with many bust
ress matters, but she had never seer
quite such papers as these. she looked
at them, and fingered them.
Two hundred and fifty lire; I5l
lire," she deciphered. 4" What ar
liref
IL know" Maud put in. " A lIr'
is the same as a franc-ltalisn mo
ney."
- These are money, mother" AND
again Kate was reduced to a gasping
condition.
"Whose are they: They are mol
ours, I'm sure" Poor Mrs. BOYLE
pressed her hands together. How GLAD
he would have been to think they were
hers. Let me look at them, Kate"
" Finding is keeping " cried Maud
II shall appropriate them"
/ Maud :" And Kate came bach
from, her tremor to face the actual
They are simply Mr.. IIarbutt's. Toe
Miss Psynes, you may be sure, neyet
left sny Thing SO valuable behind them. ;
-" Perhaps it will pay their dsbt.'
Maud by this time had lost her terror
,he had passed it on to her mother and
sister. and she herself only saw tn,
/ - of ,ba tbipO No anarg,