Nothing but Joan's apparel and her few
brooches and trinkets appeared here. The history of each and all was
familiar to Mrs. Tregenza. But on reaching the bottom drawer of the chest,
she found it locked and the key absent. To continue her search, however,
was not difficult. Nothing separated the drawers, and by removing that
above the last, the contents of the lowest lay at her mercy, It was full of
linen for the most part, but hidden at the bottom, Thomasin made a
discovery, and found certain matters which at once spoke of tremendous
mystery, and, to her mind, indicated the nature of it. First she came upon
the little picture of Joe's ship in its rough gilded frame. This might be
an innocent gift from some of the young men who had asked in the past to be
allowed to paint Joan and received a curt negative from Gray Michael. But
the other discovery meant more. Pushing her hand about the drawer she found
a pile of paper, felt the crackle of it, and pulled it eagerly to the
light. Then, and before she learned the grandeur of the sum, she was seized
with a sudden palpitation and sat down on Joan's bed. Her mouth grew full
as a hungry man's before a feast, her lips were wet, her hand shook as she
opened and spread the notes. Then she counted them and sat gasping like a
landed fish. Thomasin had never seen so much money before in her life. A
thousand pounds! Unlike Joan, to whom the sum conveyed no significance,
Mrs.
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