" replied Miss Heredith, with a glance at the safe in the corner of
the room. "I have been keeping the keys until you got better."

"Then you might let me have them now," said the young man. "I should
like to see if the jewels are all right."

"Why, Phil, of course they are all right," his aunt replied. "We found
the jewel-case locked, and not tampered with in any way."

"Was Mrs. Heredith's jewel-case in her bedroom the night she was
murdered?" asked Colwyn.

"Yes," responded Miss Heredith. "We found it on her toilet-table, where
she usually kept it."

"Did it contain valuable jewels?"

"It contained a necklace of pearls which was given to poor Violet by Sir
Philip," was the reply. "It is an old family necklace."

"Then I agree with Mr. Heredith that the jewel case should be opened."

"Very well. As you think it necessary, I will go to my room for the
keys."

Miss Heredith left the library, and returned in a few moments with a
small bunch of keys in her hand. She went to the safe, unlocked it, and
returned to the table bearing an oblong silver box of quaint design,
with the portrait of a stout simpering lady in enamel on the cover. Miss
Heredith directed Colwyn's attention to the portrait, remarking that it
was a likeness of a princess of the reigning house, who had given it and
the box to her great-uncle, Captain Sir Philip Heredith.

"Her Royal Highness held my great-uncle in much esteem, Mr. Colwyn," she
added, as she proceeded to fit one of the keys into the box. "He was one
of the most famous of Nelson's captains. When he died the residents of
his native town erected a memorial to him. It was inscribed with
testimony to his worth in a civic, military, and Christian capacity,
together with a text stating that he caused the widow's heart to sing
for joy. Beneath the text was commemorated his feat in sinking the
French frigate _L'Equille_, with every soul on board."

"That hardly seems like causing the widow's heart to sing for joy,"
commented Musard.

"The reference was to English widows, Vincent," replied Miss Heredith,
proceeding to open the box with loving care. "At that period of our
history we had not discovered the good qualities of the French people,
which have endeared them to--Oh!" Miss Heredith broke off with a
startled exclamation as the lid of the silver box fell back, revealing
an empty interior.

It is only in moments of complete surprise that the human face fails to
keep up some sembla