tiny bottle of champagne
and a plateful of delicate little sugared biscuits.

"I have had this wine bottled expressly for the ladies," said the Major.
"The biscuits came to me direct from Paris. As a favor to _me,_ you
must take some refreshment. And then--" He stopped and looked at me very
attentively. "And then," he resumed, "shall I go to my young prima donna
upstairs and leave you here alone?"

It was impossible to hint more delicately at the one request which I
now had it in my mind to make to him. I took his hand and pressed it
gratefully.

"The tranquillity of my whole life to come is at stake," I said. "When I
am left here by myself, does your generous sympathy permit me to examine
everything in the room?"

He signed to me to drink the champagne and eat a biscuit before he gave
his answer.

"This is serious," he said. "I wish you to be in perfect possession of
yourself. Restore your strength--and then I will speak to you."

I did as he bade me. In a minute from the time when I drank it the
delicious sparkling wine had begun to revive me.

"Is it your express wish," he resumed, "that I should leave you here by
yourself to search the room?"

"It is my express wish," I answered.

"I take a heavy responsibility on myself in granting your request. But I
grant it for all that, because I sincerely believe--as you believe--that
the tranquillity of your life to come depends on your discovering the
truth." Saying those words, he took two keys from his pocket. "You will
naturally feel a suspicion," he went on, "of any locked doors that you
may find here. The only locked places in the room are the doors of the
cupboards under the long book-case, and the door of the Italian cabinet
in that corner. The small key opens the book-case cupboards; the long
key opens the cabinet door."

With that explanation, he laid the keys before me on the table.

"Thus far," he said, "I have rigidly respected the promise which I made
to your husband. I shall continue to be faithful to my promise, whatever
may be the result of your examination of the room. I am bound in honor
not to assist you by word or deed. I am not even at liberty to offer you
the slightest hint. Is that understood?"

"Certainly!"

"Very good. I have now a last word of warning to give you--and then I
have done. If you do by any chance succeed in laying your hand on the
clew, remember this--_the discovery which follows will be a terrible
one._ If you have an