Augusta Huiell Seaman

“ If he doesn’t find that chest in there, he'll know it was discovered and taken away, and that no doubt Uncle has it and—he'll certainly go hunting it up in Uncle's room—and—he mustn’t find it! ”
“But it’s locked in the closet, and you have the key, haven’t you?” Connie asked.
“Locks don’t mean a thing to him, I believe,” I declared. “He can get into any thing, just as he’s getting into that window seat now! What shall we do?”
“There’s only one thing I can see to do—and that is for you to go across the hall and get the chest and bring it in here. It’s the only place where it will be safe.” ”

“ Then silence again. But two minutes later I was startled to see a faint light, like that from an electric torch. It was only for an instant and out again immediately. Then, a moment after, it was flashed on again and remained on. This was too much. I could not resist another second the temptation to see what was going on, so I tiptoed along the hall and reached the head of the stairs. ”

“ So, while Connie shivered and protested, I crept to the door and peered out.
The upper hall was dark, but Uncle had always insisted on having one light kept burning all night on the lower floor. So usually there was one burning in the living room, and the light from it would show faintly in the upper hall. To my surprise, however, all was pitch-black when I looked out. Some one must have turned off that light. ”