However, he took the precaution to go round the store, and see whether Wylie, rendered somnolent by liquor, might not be lying oblivious among the cases; Wylie, however, was not to be seen, and Seaton, finding himself alone, did an unwise thing; he came and contemplated Wardlaw's cases of metal and specie.

(Men will go too near the thing that causes their pain.) He eyed them with grief and with desire, and could not restrain a sigh at these material proofs of his rival's wealth--the wealth that probably had smoothed his way to General Rolleston's home and to his daughter's heart; for wealth can pave the way to hearts, ay, even to hearts that cannot be downright bought.

This reverie no doubt, lasted longer than he thought, for presently he heard the loud rattle of shutters going up below.

It was closing time; he hastily closed and locked the iron shutters, and then went out and shut the door.
He had been gone about two hours, and that part of the street, so noisy in business hours, was hushed in silence, all but an occasional footstep on the flags outside, when something mysterious occurred in the warehouse, now as dark as pitch.
At an angle of the wall stood two large cases in a vertical position, with smaller cases lying at their feet.

These two cases were about eight feet high, more or less.