were found to have been opened. "She had a reg'lar
thief along with her, my lady," said the policeman, still addressing
himself to Mrs. Carbuncle,--"'cause of the way the things was
opened."

"I always knew that young woman was downright bad," said Mrs.
Carbuncle in her first expression of wrath.

But Lizzie sat in her chair without saying a word, still pale, with
that almost awful look of agony in her face. Within ten minutes
of their entering the house, Mrs. Carbuncle was making her way
up-stairs, with the two policemen following her. That her bureau and
her dressing-case should have been opened was dreadful to her, though
the value that she could thus lose was very small. She also possessed
diamonds,--but her diamonds were paste; and whatever jewellery she
had of any value,--a few rings, and a brooch, and such like,--had
been on her person in the theatre. What little money she had by her
was in the drawing-room, and the drawing-room, as it seemed, had not
been entered. In truth, all Mrs. Carbuncle's possessions in the house
were not sufficient to have tempted a well-bred, well-instructed
thief. But it behoved her to be indignant; and she could be indignant
with grace, as the thief was discovered to be, not her maid, but
Patience Crabstick. The policemen followed Mrs. Carbuncle, and the
maids followed the policemen; but Lizzie Eustace kept her seat in
the chair by the wall. "Do you think they have taken much of yours?"
said Lucinda, coming up to her and speaking very gently. Lizzie
made a motion with her two hands upon her heart, and struggled, and
gasped,--as though she wished to speak but could not. "I suppose it
is that girl who has done it all," said Lucinda. Lizzie nodded her
head, and tried to smile. The attempt was so ghastly that Lucinda,
though not timid by nature, was frightened. She sat down and took
Lizzie's hand, and tried to comfort her. "It is very hard upon you,"
she said, "to be twice robbed." Lizzie again nodded her head. "I hope
it is not much now. Shall we go up and see?" The poor creature did
get upon her legs, but she gasped so terribly that Lucinda feared
that she was dying. "Shall I send for some one?" she said. Lizzie
made an effort to speak, was shaken convulsively while the other
supported her, and then burst into a flood of tears.

When that had come she was relieved, and could again act her part.
"Yes," she said, "we will go with them. It is so dreadful;--is it
not?"

"Very dreadful;