He had, therefore, driven over to ask my husband, knowing how intimate he had been with poor Herbert.

He knew, it seems, that Mr.Penfold had some secure place for such papers, because he had one day spoken to him upon the subject, saying it would be more prudent for him to leave the leases in the strong-box in his office at Weymouth.

But Herbert replied that they were stowed away in a far safer place, and that he had not the least fear in the world of their being stolen.
"Now, this is just what my husband knew also.

Once when they were chatting together Herbert mentioned that the house like many other old mansions contained a secret chamber.

He said: 'I can't tell you where it is, Withers; for although it is never likely to be used again, the knowledge of this hiding-place has been passed down from generation to generation as a family secret.