Stand by the bed, Dinah, and keep watch over him while I light that lamp which he has left on the window-sill, and search for the papers." The old woman took the light from Mr.Moncton's hand, and his station beside my bed.

My too lively imagination pictured the witch-like face, with its dark, snaky eyes, bending over me, and I found it impossible to maintain, with any appearance of reality, the composure I had assumed.

In order to conceal the excited state of my mind, and to convince her of the certainty of my pretended slumber, I threw out my arms, and began to toss and turn, and mutter in my sleep, putting on all the contortions which generally convulse the countenance of persons while writhing under the influence of some terrible dream.

A state of perfect quiescence might have aroused suspicion; the noise I made completely lulled theirs to sleep.
Meanwhile my uncle had unlocked the chest, and I heard him toss the papers it contained, upon the floor; while, from time to time, he gave utterance to expressions indicative of vexation and disappointment.
After examining the contents of the box thoroughly, and returning the parchments to their original place, he said in a mortified tone: "The papers are not here.

How they have been abstracted I cannot imagine, as I always keep the key in a private drawer of my cabinet, which is known only to myself." "Did you place them there yourself ?" demanded the old woman, in a hurried whisper.
"No, but Walters, in whom I placed the most implicit confidence, assured me that he placed them here with his own hands.