cast iron, which evidently served to
cover and conceal the aperture; by it was thrown down, in careless
disorder, a strip of the same dull red baize as covered the rest of the
floor of the Tower. By the side of the sheet and the piece of carpet
there was an old brown leather bag.

Tradition, and Mr. Penrose, had told the truth. Here without doubt was
Captain Duggle's grave, the grave he had caused to be dug for himself,
but which--be the reason what it might---his body had never occupied. Yet
the tomb was not entirely empty. The floor of it was strewn with gold, to
what depth Mary could not tell, but it was covered with golden
sovereigns; there must be thousands of them. They gleamed under the light
of the candles.

Mary turned, startled, inquiring, apprehensive eyes on Beaumaroy. He
pressed her arm gently, and whispered:

"I'll tell you presently. Come in. He'll notice us, I expect, in a
minute. Mind you curtsey when he sees you!" He led her in, pulling the
door to after him, and placed her and himself in front of the two small
armchairs opposite Mr. Saffron's throne.

Beaumaroy removed his hand from her arm, but she caught his wrist in one
of hers and stood there, holding on to him, breathing quickly, her eyes
now set on the figure on the throne.

The old man's lips had ceased to move; his eyes had closed; he lay back
in the deep seat, inert, looking half-dead, very pale and waxen in the
face. For what seemed a long time he sat thus, motionless and almost
without signs of life, while the two stood side by side before him. Mary
glanced once at Beaumaroy; his lips were apart in that half humorous,
half compassionate smile; there was no hint of impatience in his bearing.

At last Mr. Saffron opened his eyes, and saw them; there was intelligence
in his look, though his body did not move. Mary was conscious of a low
bow from Beaumaroy; she remembered the caution he had given her, and
herself made a deep curtsey; the old man made a slight inclination of his
handsome white head. Then, after another long pause, a movement passed
over his body--excepting his left arm. She saw that he was trying to rise
from his seat, but that he had barely the strength to achieve his
purpose. But he persisted in his effort, and in the end rose slowly and
tremulously to his feet.

Then, utterly without warning, in a sudden and shocking burst of that
high, voluble, metallic speech which Captain Alec had heard through the
ceiling of the p