He lay some time with his eyes closed; and Caleb could feel—­for Mr. Lisle held him firmly by the hand, as if to prevent his going away—­a convulsive shudder pass over his frame.  At last he slowly opened his eyes, and Caleb saw that he was indeed about to depart upon the long journey from which there is no return.  The lips of the dying man worked inarticulately for some moments; and then with a mighty effort, as it seemed, he said, whilst his trembling hand pointed feebly to a bureau chest of drawers that stood in the room, “There—­there, for Lucy; there, the secret place is”—­Some inaudible words followed, and then after a still mightier struggle than before, he gasped out, “No word—­no word—­to—­to Sowerby—­for her—­Lucy.”

More was said, but undistinguishable by mortal ear; and after gazing with an expression of indescribable anxiety in the scared face of his awe-struck listener, the wearied eyes slowly reclosed—­the deep silence flowed past; then the convulsive shudder came again, and he was dead!

Caleb Jennings tremblingly summoned the house-servant and the landlady, and was still confusedly pondering the broken sentences uttered by the dying man, when Mr. Sowerby hurriedly arrived.  The attorney’s first care was to assume the direction of affairs, and to place seals upon every article containing or likely to contain anything of value belonging to the deceased.  This done, he went away to give directions for the funeral, which took place a few days afterwards; and it was then formally announced that Mr. Sowerby succeeded by will to the large property of Ambrose Lisle; under trust, however, for the family, if any, of Robert Lisle, the deceased’s brother, who had gone when very young to India, and had not been heard of for many years—­a condition which did not at all mar the joy of the crafty lawyer, he having long since instituted private inquiries, which perfectly satisfied him, that the said Robert Lisle had died, unmarried, at Calcutta.

Mr. Jennings was in a state of great dubiety and consternation.  Sowerby had emptied the chest of drawers of every valuable it contained; and unless he had missed the secret receptacle Mr. Lisle had spoken of, the deceased’s intentions, whatever they might have been, were clearly defeated.  And if he had not discovered it, how could he, Jennings, get at the drawers to examine them?  A fortunate chance brought some relief to his perplexities.  Ambrose Lisle’s furniture was advertised to be sold by auction, and Caleb resolved to purchase the bureau chest of drawers at almost any price, although to do so would oblige him to break into his rent-money, then nearly due.  The day of sale came, and, the important lot in its turn was put up.  In one of the drawers there were a number of loose newspapers, and other valueless scraps; and Caleb, with a sly grin, asked the auctioneer, if he sold the article with all its contents.  “Oh, yes,” said Sowerby, who was watching the sale; “the buyer may have all it contains