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Show - 35 - Another door, and into the round room which was surrounded by the small stained glass windows. Some day Penny was determined to convert this secluded nook into a hideaway for herself. She walked over to one of the gables and looked out of the large window and could see for miles around. It had started to rain and it beat against the window with a steady rhythm. It looked gray and dreary outside. "Come over here Penny," said Vicky. "Have you ever seen such a m*ss? These must be the steamer trunks that the Gavens used when they came over from France. It must have been quite awhile ago." "Yes, I suppose so," answered Penny, as she joined her sister who was standing before a long row of trunks, large and small, lined up against one of the walls. "I wonder if there is anything In them, or are they empty?" "I would think so, but let's look anyway." said Vicky. Most of the trunks did contain clothes. Dresses and finery that Claudine must have put aside and they marveled at the number of pretty dresses that she had discarded. As they rummaged amongst the old trunks, they came across a smaller one leaning against the wall. It was black with brass trim and the lock had been sprung. Both sisters knelt on the floor and Vicky started to open it. For a moment Penny had a feeling of misgiving and she wondered why. Within her she felt that this was something they should not be tampering with, but she did not attempt to stop her sister* At first glance there didn't seem to be anything unusual in the contents; a lace shawl which must have been white at one time, but now was a rosey beige in color and some dried up rose petals that crumbled when Vicky tried to pick them up. Also, some old newspapers dating back to the early 1920 Vs. She was Just about to close the small trunk when Penny said. |