ompanion, as they approached her from the house: "You
have brought the curse of Cain upon me." "It could not be helped." "If
the old man had not squealed out," and so forth.

Sir Lemuel Levison had been robbed and murdered, and she--Rose
Cameron--had been accessory to the robbery and the murder! She had lain
in wait under the balcony while the burglars went in and slaughtered the
old banker, and emptied his money chest. She had received the booty, and
carried it off, and brought it to London. She had it even then in her
possession!

She was liable to discovery, arrest, trial, conviction, execution.

With a cry of intense horror she covered up her head under the bedclothes
and shook as with a violent ague. She had suspected, and indeed, she had
known by circumstance and inference, that the money and jewels contained
in the bag she had brought from Castle Lone, had been taken from the
house, but she had tried to ignore the fact that they had been stolen.
But now the knowledge was forced upon her.

She had been accessory both before and after the facts to the crime of
robbery and murder, and she was subject to trial and execution. It all
now seemed like a horrible nightmare, from which she tried in vain to
wake.

While she shivered and shook under the bedclothes, the housekeeper came
up and opened the door and said:

"Mr. Scott have come, ma'am. Will he come up?"

"Ay, bid him come till me at ance!" cried the agitated woman, without
uncovering her head.

A few minutes passed and the door opened again and her lover entered the
room still wearing his travelling wraps.

"Rose, my lass, what ails you?" he inquired, approaching the bed, and
seeing her shaking under the bedclothes.

"It's in a cauld sweat, I am, frae head to foot," she answered.

"You have got an ague! Your teeth are chattering!" said Mr. Scott,
stooping over her.

"Keep awa' frae me! Dinna come nigh me!" she cried, cuddling down closer
under the clothing. She had not yet uncovered her face or looked at him.

"What is the meaning of all this, Rose?" he inquired, in a tone of
displeasure.

"Speer that question to yoursel'! no' to me!" she answered, shuddering.

"Look at me!" said the man, sternly.

"I canna look at you! I winna look at you! I hae ta'en an awfu' scunner
till ye!"

"What have I done to you, you exasperating woman, that you should behave
to me in this insolent manner?" demanded the man.

"What hae ye dune till me, is it? Ye ha