ft
thus alone, I rambled about the house, and one day happened to go to
the General's study. Here every thing remained almost exactly as it
used to be. It was here that I found the cipher writing, and, on
visiting it again, the circumstances of that discovery naturally
suggested themselves to my mind."

Hilda had warmed with her theme, and spoke with something like
recklessness, as though she was prepared at last to throw away every
scruple and make a full confidence. The allusion to the discovery of
the cipher was a reminder to herself and to Gualtier of her former
dishonorable conduct. Having once more touched upon this, it was
easier for her to reveal new treachery upon her part. Nevertheless
she paused for a moment, and looked with earnest scrutiny upon her
companion. He regarded her with a look of silent devotion which
seemed to express any degree of subserviency to her interests, and
disarmed every suspicion. Reassured by this, she continued:

"It happened that I began to examine the General's papers. It was
quite accidental, and arose merely from the fact that I had nothing
else to do. It was almost mechanical on impart. At any rate I opened
the desk, and found it full of documents of all kinds which had been
apparently undisturbed for an indefinite period. Naturally enough I
examined the drawer in which I had found the cipher writing, and was
able to do so quite at my leisure. On first opening it I found only
some business papers. The cipher was no longer there. I searched
among all the other papers to find it, but in vain. I then concluded
that he had destroyed it. For several days I continued to examine
that desk, but with no result. It seemed to fascinate me. At last,
however, I came to the conclusion that nothing more could be
discovered.

"All this time Mrs. Molyneux left me quite to myself, and my search
in the desk and my discouragement were altogether unknown to her.
After about a week I gave up the desk and tore myself away. Still I
could not keep away from it, and at the end of another week I
returned to the search. This time I went with the intention of
examining all the drawers, to see if there was not some additional
place of concealment.

"It is not necessary for me to describe to you minutely the various
trials which I made. It is quite enough for me now to say that I at
last found out that in that very private drawer where I had first
discovered the cipher writing there was a false bottom o