y Eustace, we have found out the whole truth."

"Oh, I daresay. I wonder why--you have been so long--finding it out."

"We have had very clever people to deal with, Lady Eustace;--and I
fear that, even now, we shall never get back the property."

"I do not care about the property, sir;--although it was all my own.
Nobody has lost anything but myself; and I really don't see why the
thing should not die out, as I don't care about it. Whoever it is,
they may have it now."

"We were bound to get to the bottom of it all, if we could; and I
think that we have,--at last. Perhaps, as you say, we ought to have
done it sooner."

"Oh,--I don't care."

"We have two persons in custody, Lady Eustace, whom we shall use as
witnesses, and I am afraid we shall have to call upon you also,--as
a witness." It occurred to Lizzie that they could not lock her up in
prison and make her a witness too, but she said nothing. Then the
major continued his speech,--and asked her the question which was, in
fact, alone material. "Of course, Lady Eustace, you are not bound to
say anything to me unless you like it,--and you must understand that
I by no means wish you to criminate yourself."

"I don't know what that means."

"If you yourself have done anything wrong, I don't want to ask you to
confess it."

"I have had all my diamonds stolen, if you mean that. Perhaps it was
wrong to have diamonds."

"But to come to my question,--I suppose we may take it for granted
that the diamonds were in your desk when the thieves made their
entrance into this house, and broke the desk open, and stole the
money out of it?" Lizzie breathed so hardly, that she was quite
unable to speak. The man's voice was very gentle and very kind,--but
then how could she admit that one fact? All depended on that one
fact. "The woman Crabstick," said the major, "has confessed, and will
state on her oath that she saw the necklace in your hands in Hertford
Street, and that she saw it placed in the desk. She then gave
information of this to Benjamin,--as she had before given information
as to your journey up from Scotland,--and she was introduced to the
two men whom she let into the house. One of them, indeed, who will
also give evidence for us, she had before met at Carlisle. She then
was present when the necklace was taken out of the desk. The man who
opened the desk and took it out, who also cut the door at Carlisle,
will give evidence to the same effect. The man who carri