‘Then why will she not marry you?’
‘Because she is poor and I am poor. Oh, my position as son of her steward would not stand in the way could I support her as my wife. But my father always refused to let me learn a profession or a trade, or even to earn my own livelihood, as he desired me to succeed him as the steward of the Danetree property. In the old days the post was a good one; but now it is worth nothing.’
‘And your father dislikes Miss Danetree.’
‘Yes, because he thinks she scorns me – which she does not. But she will not let me tell him the truth until there is a chance of our marriage.’
‘Well,’ said Hagar, producing the paper on which was written the line of figures, ‘I am about to give you that chance. This cypher is quite easy; figures have been substituted for letters – that is all. A is set down as one, B as two, and so on.’
‘I don’t quite understand.’
‘I will show you. These figures must be divided into numbers, and a letter set over each. Now, the first number is twenty, and the twentieth letter of the alphabet is T. The twenty-first letter is U. Then come the eighteenth and the fourteenth letters. What are they?’
Frank counted. ‘R and N,’ he said, after a pause. ‘Ah! I see the first word is T, U, R, N – that is turn!’
‘Exactly; represented by numbers, 20, 21, 18, 14. Now you understand, so I need not explain further. Here is the cypher written out.’
Young Parsons took up the paper and read as follows:
T u r n k e y l e f t e y e
20 21 18 14 11 5 25 12 5 6 20 5 25 5
8 c h e r u b
H 3 8 5 18 21 2
‘Turn key left eye eighth cherub!’ repeated Parsons, in puzzled tones. ‘I have no doubt that you have solved the problem correctly; but, I do not know what the sentence means.’
‘Well,’ said Hagar, rather sharply, ‘it means, I should think, that the left eye of some cherub’s head is a keyhole, into which is to be thrust the copper key upon which the figures are engraved. Doubtless, by turning the key the wall will open, and the picture will be discovered.’
‘What a clever girl you are!’ cried Parsons, in admiration.
‘I use my brains, that is all,’ said Hagar, coolly. ‘I’m afraid you don’t. However, are there a number of sculptured cherubs in Danetree Hall?’
‘Yes; there is a room called “The Cherubs’ Room”, from a number of carved heads. How did you guess that there was more than one?’
‘Because the letter “H” corresponds with the figure eight; so no doubt there are more than eight heads. All you have to do is to take this copper key, put it into the left eye of the eighth cherub, and find the picture. Then you can marry Miss Danetree, and the pair of you can live on the thirty thousand pounds. If she is as clever as you, you’ll need it all.’
Quite impervious to Hagar’s irony, Frank Parsons took his leave with many admiring words and protestations of gratitude. When he found the picture he promised to let Hagar know, and to invite her to Danetree Hall to see it. Then he departed, and it was only when she was left alone that Hagar reflected she had not got back the pound lent on the key. But she consoled herself with the reflection that she could demand it when the hidden picture was discovered. Principal and interest was what she required; for Hagar was nothing if not business-like.
That same evening Frank was seated in the prim little parlour with his dour father. He had been up to the Hall, and had proved the truth of Hagar’s reading by discovering the picture; also he had seen Marion Danetree, and told her of the good fortune which was coming. She would be able to buy back the lost acres of the family, to restore and refurnish the old house, to take up her position again in the county, and reign once more as the lady of Danetree Hall. All this Frank told his father, and the old man’s brow grew black as night.
‘You have made her rich!’ he muttered – ‘that proud girl who looks upon you as dirt beneath her feet.’
Frank smiled. He had not told his father the termination of the interview with Marion; nor did he intend to do so at present.
‘We’ll talk of Marion and her pride tomorrow,’ he said, rising; ‘I am going to bed just now; but you know how I discovered the picture, and how it has been restored to the Danetrees as grandfather wished.’
When his son left the room, Luke Parsons sat with folded hands and a dull pain in his heart. It was gall and wormwood to him that the woman who rejected Frank should acquire wealth and regain her position through the aid of the man she despised. Oh, if he could only hide the picture, or even destroy it! – anything rather than that proud Marion Danetree should be placed on an eminence to look down on his bright boy. To rob her of this newly-found wealth – to take away the picture – Parsons felt that he would commit even a crime.
And why should he not? Frank had left the key on the table – the copper key which was to be placed in the left eye of the cherub. Parsons knew well enough – from the explanation of his son – how the key was to be used; how his father had designed the hiding-place of the Castagno picture. The lock and key which had belonged to the First Charles had been given to the old man by his master. He had placed the first behind the cherub, with the
