improbably be tried at Carlisle
for stealing the box, and again in London for stealing the
diamonds,--that two distinct acts of burglary had been committed, and
that her evidence would be required on both occasions. He told her
also that her attendance before the magistrate on Friday would only
be a preliminary ceremony, and that, before the thing was over she
would, doubtless, be doomed to bear a great deal of annoyance, and to
answer very many disagreeable questions. "I shall care for nothing if
you will only be at my side," she exclaimed.

He was very urgent with her to go to Scotland as soon as her
examination before the magistrates should be over, and was much
astonished at the excuse she made for not doing so. Mrs. Carbuncle
had borrowed all her ready money; but as she was now in Mrs.
Carbuncle's house, she could repay herself a portion of the loan by
remaining there and eating it out. She did not exactly say how much
Mrs. Carbuncle had borrowed, but she left an impression on Frank's
mind that it was about ten times the actual sum. With this excuse he
was not satisfied, and told her that she must go to Scotland, if only
for the sake of escaping from the Carbuncle connexion. She promised
to obey him if he would be her convoy. The Easter holidays were
just now at hand, and he could not refuse on the plea of time. "Oh,
Frank, do not refuse me this;--only think how terribly forlorn is my
position!" He did not refuse, but he did not quite promise. He was
still tender-hearted towards her in spite of her enormities. One
iniquity,--perhaps her worst iniquity, he did not yet know. He had
not as yet heard of her disinterested appeal to Lucy Morris.

When he left her she was almost joyous for a few minutes;--till
the thought of her coming interview with Mr. Camperdown again
overshadowed her. She had dreaded two things chiefly,--her first
interview with her cousin Frank after he should have learned the
truth, and those perils in regard to perjury with which Lord George
had threatened her. Both these bugbears had now vanished. That dear
man, the major, had told her that there would be no such perils, and
her cousin Frank had not seemed to think so very much of her lies and
treachery! He had still been affectionate with her; he would support
her before the magistrate, and would travel with her to Scotland. And
after that who could tell what might come next? How foolish she had
been to trouble herself as she had done,--almost