drawer, and inside the drawer again a tidy little tin box. Cecile
seized the box, sat down on the floor, and taking the purse from the
bosom of her frock, found that it fitted it well. She gave a sigh of
relief; the tin box shut with a click; who would guess that there was
a purse of gold and notes inside!

Now, where should she put it? Back again into the old drawer of the
old wash-stand? No; that hiding place was not safe enough. She
explored a little further, almost lying down now, the roof was so
near her head. Here she found what she had little expected to see--a
cupboard cunningly contrived in the wall. She pushed it open. It was
full, but not quite full, of moldy and forgotten books. Back of the
books the tin box might lie hidden, lie secure; no human being would
ever guess that a treasure lay here.

With trembling hands she pushed it far back into the cupboard,
covered it with some books, and shut the door securely.

Then she crept back to bed a light-hearted child. For the present
her secret was safe and she might be happy.




CHAPTER VI.

MERCY BELL.


The farm in Kent, called Warren's Grove, belonged to an old lady.