They seemed to know all about it, for, without looking at the papers in the pigeonholes, they pulled open the lower drawer, and took two foreign-looking letters out from it.

I will do them the justice to say that they both looked sorry, as they opened them, and looked at the writing.
"'It is too true,' Peters said.

'Here is enough to hang a dozen men.' "They tumbled all the other papers into a sack, that one of the constables had brought with him.

Then they searched all the other furniture, but they evidently did not expect to find anything.

Then they went back into the hall.
"'Well, gentlemen,' Sir Marmaduke said, 'have you found anything of a terrible kind ?' "'We have found, I regret to say,' John Cockshaw said, 'the letters of which we were in search, in your private cabinet--letters that prove, beyond all doubt, that you are concerned in a plot similar to that discovered three years ago, to assassinate his majesty the king.' "Sir Marmaduke sprang to his feet.
"'You have found letters of that kind in my cabinet ?' he said, in a dazed sort of way.
"The magistrate bowed, but did not speak.
"'Then, sir,' Sir Marmaduke exclaimed, 'you have found letters that I have never seen.