muttered to himself, but so loud that the Doctor overheard it, "Just the
way I would do it, and I will yet."

"What makes you think Swanson keeps his wealth on the premises, Doctor?"
asked Moriarity.

"Safest and most convenient place," replied the Doctor, "He probably has
had a special hole or cranny made for it, a double wall of some room,
behind some picture or something like that. I recollect a chap that had
a picture in his room, fastened close to the wall just like that picture
there," and the Doctor pointed to the only picture in the house, a
representation of the ranche painted by some wandering artist. "It was a
painting of a man's face and by pressing the eye a spring was released
and the whole picture swung back, showing a cavity back of it in which
the old miser kept his valuables."

Scip, who was always cutting some caper, here rose to his feet, saying

"Dunno, but mebbe Massa Swanson keep he truck behind that chromiow. Heah
now, I'se Massa Swanson," and Scip imitated Swanson's gait, "I'se
playin' poker wid you gemmen. I'se out o' cash; Massa Cummins thar, he
got a king full, and lay ovah my bob-tail flush, I say, 'Hole on thar,
Massa Cummins, I'se got to unlock de combinashun of my safe.' Den I walk
ovah to de picture, an' I hit a crack with my fist, so Well, I be
damned!"

The rest sprang to their feet in astonishment for, illustrating his
remarks, Scip had struck the center of the oil painting with his hand,
and stood dumb-founded, for the picture noiselessly swung forward and
disclosed a large recess in the wall in which little sacks of some sort