covered the portrait with kisses, put it
in her pocket, and then sat down to explore the desk.

There were bundles of papers there, lying on the bottom of the desk,
all neatly wrapped up and labeled in a most business-like manner.
Outside there was a number of drawers, all of which were filled with
papers. These were all wrapped in bundles, and were labeled, so as to
show at the first glance that they referred to the business of the
estate. Some were mortgages, others receipts, others letters, others
returned checks and drafts. Nothing among these had any interest for
Zillah.

Inside the desk there were some drawers, which Zillah opened. Once on
the search, she kept it up most vigorously. The discovery of her
mother's miniature led her to suppose that something else of equal
value might be found here somewhere. But, after a long search,
nothing whatever was found. The search, however, only became the more
exciting, and the more she was baffled the more eager did she become
to follow it out to the end. While she was investigating in this way,
Hilda stood by her, looking on with the air of a sympathizing friend
and interested spectator. Sometimes she anticipated Zillah in opening
drawers which lay before their eyes, and in seizing and examining the
rolls of papers with which each drawer was filled. The search was
conducted by both, in fact, but Zillah seemed to take the lead.

"There's nothing more," said Hilda at last, as Zillah opened the last
drawer, and found only some old business letters. "You have examined
all, you have found nothing. At any rate, the search has given you
the miniature; and, besides, it has dispelled that awe that you spoke
of."

"But, dear Hilda, there ought to be something," said Zillah. "I hoped
for something more. I had an idea that I might find something--I
don't know what--something which I could keep for the rest of my
life."

"Is not the miniature enough, dearest?" said Hilda, in affectionate
tones. "What more could you wish for?"

"I don't know. I prize it most highly; but, still, I feel
disappointed."

"There is no more chance," said Hilda.

"No; I have examined every drawer."

"You can not expect any thing more, so let us go away--unless," she
added, "you expect to find some mysterious secret drawer somewhere,
and I fancy there is hardly any room here for any thing of that
kind."

"A secret drawer!" repeated Zillah, with visible excitement. "What an
idea! But could there