at I hadn't taken the
mate's offer, for Isaac and I had measured it all over inside and out,
and calculated that there wasn't space anywhere for a secret drawer.

I'd had it about three months; and then a young girl, about twenty, came
into the shop one afternoon, when Isaac was at tea. She was a pale slip
of a young thing, and her clothes looked as if they'd been worn all
through the summer, and it was autumn then; and she hesitated as if she
was half afraid of me.

"Well, little missie," I said. "What is it?" I spoke to her with the
smooth side of my tongue uppermost, as a big, rough chap generally does
to a girl of that sort, if there's anything decent about him.

"My father was Captain Markby," she said, and I liked the way she spoke.
"He died at sea, and they sold his things here. I want to find something
of his, and I thought that perhaps you might have bought it?"

I knew directly what she meant, but I looked very innocent.

"If it was anything in the curiosity line, I might have," I answered.
"You see the sort of things I deal in." I waved my hand round the place.

"No," she said. "It wasn't a curiosity. It was an oak chest with brass
corners. I think they call it a ditty-box."

"A ditty-box," I said. "They're too common to be curious. Was there
anything special about it?"

"It had a tray in it, and he'd drawn a head on it with a red-hot iron; a
girl's head. He meant it for me; but I don't expect you'd recognize me
by it. I hope not!" She smiled faintly.

"I hope not," I agreed, "judging from what I've seen of such figures." I
laughed, and she laughed a little, too. "And you want to buy it, if you
can find it?"

"Ye-es," she said. "At least--I haven't very much money; but I would pay
you as soon as I could, if--I suppose you wouldn't be so kind--so very
kind--as to agree to that?"

"Umph!" I said. "I don't generally give credit; but as it was your
father's, I might stretch a point for once if I should find that I have
it."

"Oh, _thank_ you!" she said with a flush. "It is a kindness that I have
no right to expect. _Thank_ you!"

"I'll have a look round among my things," I promised. "I haven't bought
such a box myself; but my assistant might have; or I might be able to
find it for you in some of the shops round here. I'll see what I can
do." I meant to let her have it, but I wanted to find out more about it
first.

"How kind you are!" she cried. "I--you see I want it very particularly,
Mr. Levy.