Sir Marmaduke said nothing, but shrugged his shoulders, and then began to play with the ears of the little spaniel, Fido, that had jumped up on his knees.
"'We will first go into the study,' John Cockshaw said; and I led them there.
"They went straight to the cabinet with the pull-down desk, where Sir Marmaduke writes when he does write, which is not often.

It was locked, and I went to Sir Marmaduke for the key.
"'You will find it in that French vase on the mantel,' he said.

'I don't open the desk once in three months, and should lose the key, if I carried it with me.' "I went to the mantel, turned the vase over, and the key dropped out.
"'Sir Marmaduke has nothing to hide, gentlemen,' I said, 'so, you see, he keeps the key here.' "I went to the cabinet, and put the key in.

As I did so I said: "'Look, gentlemen, someone has opened, or tried to open, this desk.
Here is a mark, as if a knife had been thrust in to shoot the bolt.' "They looked where I pointed, and William Peters said to Cockshaw, 'It is as the man says.

Someone has been trying to force the lock--one of the varlets, probably, who thought the knight might keep his money here.' "'It can be of no importance, one way or the other,' Cockshaw said roughly.
"'Probably not, Mr.Cockshaw, but, at the same time I will make a note of it.' "I turned the key, and pulled down the door that makes a desk.