shamelessly: "Bribed the head-clerk of the safe-manufacturer who
built this."

Rising, he passed over to the center-table, the girl following.
"Steady with the light," he whispered; and loosed the string
around the mouth of the bag, pouring its contents, a glistening,
priceless, flaming, iridiscent treasure horde, upon the table.

"Oh!" said a small voice at his side. And again and again: "Oh!
Oh! Oh!"

Maitland himself was moved by the wonder of it. The jewels seemed
to fill the room with a flashing, amazing, coruscant glamour,
rainbow-like. His breath came hot and fast as he gazed upon the
trove; a queen's ransom, a fortune incalculable even to its owner.
As for the girl, he thought that the wonder of it must have struck
her dumb. Not a sound came from the spot where she stood.

Then, abruptly, the sun went out: at least, such was the effect;
the light of the hand-lamp vanished utterly, leaving a party-colored
blur swimming against the impenetrable blackness, before his eyes.

His lips opened; but a small hand fell firmly upon his own, and a
tiny, tremulous whisper shrilled in his ear.

"Hush--ah, hush!"

"What--?

"Steady ... some one coming ... the jewels...."