the description: 'Hair cut rather short, clean shaven,
with the exception of narrow half-whiskers.' The wretch was safe from
pursuit; he had ample time at his disposal--don't you see how he could
completely alter the appearance of his head and face? No more, my dear,
of this disagreeable subject! Let us get to something interesting. Have
you found anything else among your aunt's papers?"

"I have met with a great disappointment," Emily replied. "Did I tell you
how I discovered the Handbill?"

"No."

"I found it, with the scrap-book and the newspaper cuttings, under
a collection of empty boxes and bottles, in a drawer of the
washhand-stand. And I naturally expected to make far more interesting
discoveries in this room. My search was over in five minutes. Nothing
in the cabinet there, in the corner, but a few books and some china.
Nothing in the writing-desk, on that side-table, but a packet of
note-paper and some sealing-wax. Nothing here, in the drawers, but
tradesmen's receipts, materials for knitting, and old photographs. She
must have destroyed all her papers, poor dear, before her last illness;
and the Handbill and the other things can only have escaped, because
they were left in a place which she never thought of examining. Isn't it
provoking?"

With a mind inexpressibly relieved, good Doctor Allday asked permission
to return to his patients: leaving Emily to devote herself to her
friend's letter.

On his way out, he noticed that the door of the bed-chamber on the
opposite side of the passage stood open. Since Miss Letitia's death the
room had not been used. Well within view stood the washhand-stand
to which Emily had alluded. The doctor advanced to the house
door--reflected--hesitated--and looked toward the empty room.

It had struck him that there might be a second drawer which Emily had
overlooked. Would he be justified in setting this doubt at rest? If
he passed over ordinary scruples it would not be without excuse. Miss
Letitia had spoken to him of her affairs, and had asked him to act (in
Emily's interest) as co-executor with her lawyer. The rapid progress
of the illness had made it impossible for her to execute the necessary
codicil. But the doctor had been morally (if not legally) taken into her
confidence--and, for that reason, he decided that he had a right in this
serious matter to satisfy his own mind.

A glance was enough to show him that no second drawer had been
overlooked.

There was no o