e murder at Lone
Castle. For although her husband and herself might have no connection
with the crime, still they had undoubtedly been lurking secretly about
the house on the very night of its perpetration, and therefore might get
into great trouble. And, besides, she was frightened at having secreted
the costly watch and chain, snuff-box, and other jewels, from her Scott,
and then told him a falsehood about them. What if he should find her out
in her dishonesty and duplicity?

She did not dream of giving up her stolen property. She would risk all
for the possession of that precious golden box, whose brilliant colors
and blazing jewels fascinated her very soul; but where could she securely
hide it from her husband's search? At that moment it was with the watch
and the diamond ring under the bolster of her bed. But there it was in
danger of being discovered, should a search be made.

She went into her bedroom and looked about for a hiding-place.

At length she found one which she thought would be secure.

The gilt cornice at the top of her bedroom window was hollow. She climbed
up on top of her dressing bureau, and reaching as far as she could she
pushed first the snuff-box, (which also contained the diamond ring,)
and then the watch and chain, far into the hollow part of the cornice,
over the window.

There she thought they would be perfectly safe.

The next few days passed without anything occurring to disturb the peace
of this misguided peasant girl.

Every morning the man who called himself Lord Arondelle, but who was
known at the house he occupied only as Mr. Scott, and who professed to be
the husband of the young woman--went out in the morning and remained
absent until evening.

Every day the girl, known to her servants as Mrs. Scott, spent in
dressing, going out riding in a cab, and freely spending the money that
her husband lavished upon her, and in gormandizing in a manner that must
have destroyed the digestive organs of any animal less sound and strong
than this "handsome hizzie" from the Highlands.

On the Monday of the week following the tragedy at Castle Lone, however,
Mr. Scott came home in the evening in a state of agitation and alarm.

"Where is that satchel with the money?" he inquired as he entered the
bedroom of his wife.

She stared at him in astonishment, but his looks so frightened her that
she hastened to produce the bag.

He took from it a little bag of gold marked L500, and threw it