The most interesting contents of the jewel-case consisted of a small packet of letters written by Percival Nowell to Lucy Geoffry before their marriage.
"I have read them carefully ever so many times, with the notion that they might throw some light upon Mr.and Mrs.Nowell's antecedents," said the Captain, as Gilbert held these in his hands, disinclined to look at documents of so private and sacred a character; "but they tell very little.

I fancy that Miss Geoffry was a governess in some family in London--the envelopes are missing, you see, so there is no evidence as to where she was living, except that it _was_ in London--and that she left her employment to marry this Percival Nowell.

You'd like to read the letters yourself, I daresay, Gilbert.

Put them in your pocket, and look them over at your leisure when you get home.

You can bring them back before you leave Lidford." Mr.Fenton glanced at Marian to see if she had any objection to his reading the letters.