sympathetic as the most exigent sister-in-law could wish, and the great
Shawn family feud had expired.

In two minutes she was her intensely practical self again. In five
minutes she had acquainted Simon with all her experiences; they were but
the complement of what he himself had witnessed.

The sense of a mysterious calamity over-hanging Hugo's, and the sense of
the shame which had already disgraced Hugo's, pressed heavily on both of
them. They knew that only one man could retrieve what had been lost and
avert irreparable disaster. Their faith in that man was undiminished,
and Simon at least was sure that he had been victimized by some immense
conspiracy.

'Why don't you find Mr. Hugo?' Lily demanded.

'I've looked everywhere. A letter was brought up to him about an hour
ago, and he went off instantly.'

'And where's the letter?'

'I expect it's in that drawer, where he throws all his private letters,'
said Simon, pointing to a drawer in the big writing-table on the
opposite side of the room from the piano.

'Is it locked--the drawer?'

'No.'

'Then open it.'