A withered bunch of what appeared to have been a bouquet of red roses, surmounted the whole, giving to the otherwise commonplace collection the appearance of a relic from the tomb.
We both drew back in some amazement, involuntarily glancing up at Mrs.
Daniels.
"I have no explanation to give," said that woman, with a calmness strangely in contrast to the agitation she had displayed while Mr.Blake had remained in the room.

"That those things rich as they are, really belonged to the girl, I have no doubt.

She brought them when she came, and they only confirm what I have before intimated: that she was no ordinary sewing girl, but a woman who had seen better days." With a low "humph!" and another glance at the dark blue dress and delicate collar, Mr.Gryce carefully replaced the cloth he had taken from them, and softly closed the drawer without either of us having laid a finger upon a single article.

Five minutes later he disappeared from the room.
I did not see him again till occasion took me below, when I beheld him softly issue from Mr.Blake's private apartment.

Meeting me, he smiled, and I saw that whether he was conscious of betraying it or not, he had come upon some clue or at the least fashioned for himself some theory with which he was more or less satisfied.
"An elegant apartment, that," whispered he, nodding sideways toward the room he had just left, "pity you haven't time to examine it." "Are you sure that I haven't ?" returned I, drawing a step nearer to escape the eyes of Mrs.Daniels who had descended after me.
"Quite sure;" and we hastened down together into the yard.
But my curiosity once aroused in this way would not let me rest.