mistaken the bottle on his
table for camphor, and how he had found her dead. Nothing would save him
from the accusation of having murdered the girl but the absolute
disappearance of her body. Maria shuddered and turned her head quickly
when he told her that the body was lying under the postern arch behind
the garden wall. He told her, too, that the boy was by this time asleep
beside the mule on the path beyond. Then he told her of his plan, which
was short, desperate, and masterly.

"You must tell no one that the abbess is dead," he said. "Go out through
your cell into the garden, as soon as I am gone, and when I tap at the
postern open the door. Leave a lamp in your cell. I will do the rest."

"What will you do?" asked Maria, in a low and wondering tone.

"You must lock the door of your cell on the inside and leave the lamp
there," said Dalrymple. "You will wait for me in the garden by the gate.
I will carry the poor girl's body in and lay it in your bed. Then I will
set fire to the bed itself. Of course there is an under-mattress of
maize leaves--there always is. I will leave the lamp standing on the
floor by the bedside. I will shut the door and come out to you, and I
can manage to slip the bolt of the garden gate from the outside by
propping up the spring from within. You shall see."

"It is horrible!" gasped Maria. "And I do not see--"

"It is simple, and nothing else can save my life. Your cell is of course
a mere stone vault, and the fire cannot spread. The sisters are asleep,
except the portress, who will be far away. Long before they break down
your door, the body will be charred by the fire beyond all recognition.
They will see the lamp standing close by, and will suppose that you lay
down to rest, leaving the lamp close to you--too close; that the abbess
died while you were asleep, and that you had caught fire before you
waked; that you were burned to death, in fact. The body will be buried
as yours, and you will be legally dead. Consequently there will not be
the slightest suspicion upon your good name. As for me, it will be
supposed that I have procured other clothes for Annetta, thrown hers
into the laboratory and carried her off. In due time I will send her
father a large sum of money without comment. If you refuse, I must
either be arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death for the murder of
a girl who killed herself without my knowledge, or, as is probable, I
shall go out now, sit down in a quiet