From the wide landing in the centre of the house a narrow stairway,
hidden away behind an angle of the wall so that one did not notice it
at first, led above to three large attics with steeply-sloping roofs
and evidently designed more for storage purposes than for habitation.
The doors of two of these were open and within was merely a collection
of such lumber as soon accumulates in any house.
The door of the third attic was locked, but by aid of the jemmy he
still carried, he forced it open without difficulty.
Within was nothing but a square packing-case, standing in the middle
of the floor. Otherwise the light of the electric torch he flashed
around showed only the bare boarding of the floor and the bare
plastered walls.
Near the packing-case a hammer and some nails lay on the floor and
the lid was in position but was not fastened, as though some
interruption had occurred before the task of nailing it down could
be completed.
Dunn noted that one nail had been driven home, and he was on the
point of leaving the attic, for he knew he had not much time and
hoped that downstairs he would be able to make some discoveries of
importance, when it occurred to him that it might be wise to see
what was in this case, the nailing down the lid of which had not
been completed.
He crossed the room to it, and without drawing the one nail, pushed
back the lid which pivoted on it quite easily.
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