midday sun
He found the door of the bowling alley securely locked , which convinced him that either the Marquis or Nancy had taken the key from the closet of his chamber . Having satisfied himself , he went directly to the Oak Parlour . It was cold and dark there . He opened the shutters and drew back the curtains , letting in the cheerful midday sun , which revealed all the antique , sombre beauty of the room , of the soft landscapes and the exquisite carving of the Dorsetshire cabinet . But Dan was in no mood to appreciate the old-world beauty of the Oak Parlour . In that cabinet he felt sure there was something concealed which would reveal the mystery of the Marquis 's stay at the inn and possibly the nature of his influence over Nancy . Whatever had been the object of the Marquis 's search , it had not been found : his parting words to Nancy the night before showed that .