Rupert looked about him thoughtfully. "That's not the
most helpful--"

"Rupert!" Ricky seized him by the arm. "There's only one thing in this
room that will answer that. Can't you see? The niche of the Luck!"

Their gaze followed her pointing finger to the mantel above their heads.

"I believe she's right! Wait until I get the step-ladder from the
kitchen." Rupert was gone almost before he had finished speaking.

"Oh, if it's only true!" Ricky stared up like one hypnotized. "Then
we'll be rich and--"

"Don't count your chickens before they're hatched," Val reminded her,
but he didn't think that she heard him.

Then Rupert was back with the ladder. He climbed up, leaving the three
of them clustered about its foot.

"Nothing here but two stone studs to hold the Luck in place," he said a
moment later.

"Why not try pressing those?" suggested Charity.

"All right, here goes." He placed his thumbs in the corners of the niche
and threw his weight upon them.

"Nothing happened." Ricky's voice was deep with disappointment.

"Look!" Val pointed over her shoulder.

To the left of the fireplace were five panels of oak, to balance those
on the other side about the door of the unused drawing-room. The center
one of these now gaped open, showing a dark cavity.

"It worked!" Ricky was already heading for the opening.

There behind the paneling was a shallow closet which ran the full length
of the five panels. It was filled with a collection of bags and small
chests, a collection which appeared much larger when it lay in the gloom
within than when they dragged it out. Then, when they had time to
examine it carefully, they discovered that their booty consisted of two
small wooden boxes or chests, one fancifully carved and evidently
intended for jewels, the other plain but locked; a felt bag and another
of canvas, and a package hurriedly done up in cloth. Rupert spread it
all out on the floor.

"Well," he hesitated, "where shall we begin?"

"Charity thought about how to open it, and it was her cat that found us
the clue--let her choose," Val suggested.

"Good," agreed Rupert. "And what's your choice, m'lady?"

"What woman could resist this?" She laid her hand upon the jewel box.

"Then that it is." He reached for it.

It opened readily enough to show a shallow tray divided into
compartments, all of them empty.

"Sold again," Val commented dryly.

Carefully Rupert lifted out the top tray to disclose another on