! that will na do either. The murderer could na hae come
by the outer door, for mysel' bolted it before I went to bed! And it was
still bolted when my puir leddy--Oh, my puir bonny leddy! oh! my puir
dear murdered mistress!" broke forth from the girl in sudden and violent
lamentations.

"Compose yourself, and tell us all about the bolted door," said Judge
Basham.

"Aweel, sir, the door was bolted by mysel', and bolted it stayed until
that puir leddy started out of her bed and tore the bolt back, and fled
away from before the face of her murderer! too late! oh, too late! for
she carried her death wound with her."

"So you see, Mr. Berners, your theory of the murder falls to pieces.
This girl's testimony proves that the murderer could not have entered
the room, from this floor," said Judge Basham.

"Then he _must_ have been concealed in the room," exclaimed Lyon,
desperately.

"Nay, nay! that will na do either, laird. Na mon was hid in the room.
Mysel' looked into all the closets, and under the bed, and up the
chimney, as I always do before I go to sleep. I could na sleep else.
Nay, nay, laird! The murderer came in neither by outer door nor window,
nor yet lay hidden in the room; for mysel' had fastened the outer door
and window, and searched the room before I slept. Nay, nay, laird! The
murderer cam by the only way left open--left open because we thought it
was safe--the way leading from Mistress Berners' room down to the
little stairs, and through this door which was not bolted," persisted
the Scotch girl.

Lyon Berners' heart seemed turned to ice by these last words.
Nevertheless he summoned fortitude to say:

"We must examine and see if there has been a robbery committed. If there
_has_ been one, then, of course, in the face of all this woman's
evidence, it will prove that the robber has done this foul deed."

"I do not see clearly that it will," objected Judge Basham. "However, we
will make the examination."

"Your honors need na tak the trouble. Mysel' saw to that too. See, the
bureau drawers and wardrobes are all fast locked as me leddy saw me lock
them hersel'. And the keys are safe in the pocket of my gown. Nay, nay,
lairds, naething is stolen," said Janet.

Nevertheless, Mr. Berners insisted on making the examination. So Janet
produced the keys and opened all the bureau drawers, boxes, wardrobes,
etc. All things were found in order. In the upper bureau drawer, caskets
of jewels, boxes of laces, roll