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Stevenson, Burton Egbert, 1872-1962

"The Gloved Hand"

How do you happen to know it?"
"My father often had me open the safe for him."
"Does anyone else know it?"
"I do not think so."
"Well, suppose we see what is in the safe," I suggested, and, as she
knelt before it, turned away. I, at least, did not wish to know the
combination. That Silva already knew it I accepted as certain.
I heard the twirling of the knob, and a sharp click as the bolts were
thrown back. Then I walked to Miss Vaughan's side and knelt beside
her. The interior of the safe was divided into the usual compartments,
one of them equipped with a Yale lock. The key was in the lock, and I
turned it, swung the little door open, and drew out the drawer which
lay behind it.
"If there is a will, it is probably here," I said; "let us see," and I
carried the drawer over to the light.
Miss Vaughan followed me, but Silva had sunk back into his chair, and
was staring abstractedly through the open door out into the darkness,
as though our proceedings interested him not at all. Then, as I looked
into the drawer, I gave a little gasp of astonishment, for it was
almost filled with packets of bills. There were five of them, neatly
sealed in wrappers of the National City Bank, and each endorsed to
contain ten thousand dollars.


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