ither. I am fair game for every creditor, as I am supposed to pay
my way,--and yet I never can pay my way."

"Just like my poor dear father," said Lizzie.

"Not exactly, Lizzie. He managed much better, and never paid anybody.
If I could only land on terra-firma,--one side or the other,--I
shouldn't much care which. As it is I have all the recklessness, but
none of the carelessness, of the hopelessly insolvent man. And it is
so hard with us. Attorneys owe us large sums of money, and we can't
dun them very well. I have a lot of money due to me from rich men,
who don't pay me simply because they don't think that it matters.
I talk to them grandly, and look big, as though money was the last
thing I thought of, when I am longing to touch my hat and ask them as
a great favour to settle my little bill." All this time Lizzie was
full of matter which she must impart to her cousin, and could impart
to him only in privacy.

It was absolutely necessary that she should tell him what she had
heard of Patience Crabstick. In her heart of hearts she wished that
Patience Crabstick had gone off safely with her plunder to the
Antipodes. She had no wish to get back what had been lost, either in
the matter of the diamonds or of the smaller things taken. She had
sincerely wished that the police might fail in all their endeavours,
and that the thieves might enjoy perfect security with their booty.
She did not even begrudge Mr. Benjamin the diamonds,--or Lord George,
if in truth Lord George had been the last thief. The robbery had
enabled her to get the better of Mr. Camperdown, and apparently of
Lord Fawn; and had freed her from the custody of property which she
had learned to hate. It had been a very good robbery. But now these
wretched police had found Patience Crabstick, and would disturb her
again!

Of course she must tell her cousin. He must hear the news, and it
would be better that he should hear it from her than from others.
This was Sunday, and she thought he would be sure to know the truth
on the following Monday. In this she was right; for on the Monday old
Lady Linlithgow saw it stated in the newspapers that an arrest had
been made. "I have something to tell you," she said, as soon as she
had succeeded in finding herself alone with him.

"Anything about the diamonds?"

"Well, no; not exactly about the diamonds;--though perhaps it is. But
first, Frank, I want to say something else to you."

"Not about the diamonds?"

"Oh