ve door of wood. Opening this, Robin
allowed the old woman to enter first and lead the way. She did so with
one of her wild "ho! ho's!" being obviously much excited at the
opportunity of showing to the visitors the contents of a cavern which
she had never before been permitted to enter, save in the company of the
pirates. Entering the small doorway, through which only a subdued light
penetrated, she went to a ledge or natural shelf of rock and took down a
silver lamp of beautiful workmanship, which had probably belonged to a
church or temple. Lighting it, she ushered them through a natural
archway into an inner cavern, round the walls of which were heaped in
piles merchandise and wealth of all kinds in great profusion and
variety. There were bales of broadcloth and other fabrics from the
looms of Tuscany; tweeds from the factories of Scotland; silks, satins
and velvets in great rolls, mingled with lace, linen, and more delicate
fabrics. Close beside these piles, but not mixed with them, were boxes
of cutlery and other hardware, and, further on, chests of drawers
containing spices from the East, chests of tea and coffee, barrels of
sugar, and groceries of all kinds.

These things were not thrown together in confusion, but arranged in
systematic order, as if under the management of an expert store-keeper,
and a desk with business-books on it seemed to indicate that a careful
record was kept of the whole.

Among the miscellaneous merchandise stood several large and massive
chests of ancient material and antique form. Taking a bunch of small
keys from a nail on the wall, the old woman proceeded to open these and
exhibit their contents with much of the interest and simple delight
exhibited by a child in displaying her treasures to new companions.

Handing the silver lamp to Robin, who with his comrades looked on in
silent surprise, she opened the first chest. It was loaded to the lid
with jewellery of all kinds, which sparkled in the light with dazzling
brilliancy, for even to the inexperienced eyes of the observers, many of
the gems were obviously of the finest quality, and almost priceless in
value. There was no order in the arrangement of these--bracelets,
ear-rings, watches, etcetera, of European manufacture lying side by side
with the costly golden wreaths and tiaras of India, and the more massive
and gorgeous brooches, nose-rings, neck-rings, and anklets peculiar to
semi-barbaric lands.

The next chest was