d thinking
how very little the disclosure of her iniquity seemed to confound
herself. "Oh, Frank, do not laugh at me," she said.

"I am not laughing, Lizzie; I am only wondering."

"And now, Frank, what had I better do?"

"Ah;--that is difficult; is it not? You see I hardly know all the
truth yet. I do not want to know more,--but how can I advise you?"

"I thought you knew everything."

"I don't suppose anybody can do anything to you."

"Major Mackintosh says that nobody can. He quite understands that
they were my own property, and that I had a right to keep them in
my desk if I pleased. Why was I to tell everybody where they were?
Of course I was foolish, and now they are lost. It is I that have
suffered. Major Mackintosh quite understands that, and says that
nobody can do anything to me;--only I must go to Mr. Camperdown."

"You will have to be examined again before a magistrate."

"Yes;--I suppose I must be examined. You will go with me,
Frank,--won't you?" He winced, and made no immediate reply. "I don't
mean to Mr. Camperdown, but before the magistrate. Will it be in a
court?"

"I suppose so."

"The gentleman came here before. Couldn't he come here again?" Then
he explained to her the difference of her present position, and in
doing so he did say something of her iniquity. He made her understand
that the magistrate had gone out of his way at the last inquiry,
believing her to be a lady who had been grievously wronged, and one,
therefore, to whom much consideration was due. "And I have been
grievously wronged," said Lizzie. But now she would be required to
tell the truth in opposition to the false evidence which she had
formerly given; and she would herself be exempted from prosecution
for perjury only on the ground that she would be called on to
criminate herself in giving evidence against criminals whose crimes
had been deeper than her own. "I suppose they can't quite eat me,"
she said, smiling through her tears.

"No;--they won't eat you," he replied gravely.

"And you will go with me?"

"Yes;--I suppose I had better do so."

"Ah;--that will be so nice." The idea of the scene at the
police-court was not at all "nice" to Frank Greystock. "I shall not
mind what they say to me as long as you are by my side. Everybody
will know that they were my own,--won't they?"

"And there will be the trial afterwards."

"Another trial?" Then he explained to her the course of
affairs,--that the men might not