away under my bed, and I
have never opened it or looked at it since."

There was such an air of sincerity in her voice, that Mrs. Danvers veered
round to her side once more.

"There, my dear," she said to Hilary, "you hear what Miss Carson said.
She knows nothing whatever about Colonel Baker's things."

"Oh, of course, she would say anything to clear herself," said Hilary
angrily. "Don't be so weak as to listen to her, mother. Let her explain
how they were found in her box, then. And let her, while she is about it,
too, explain how she claims this necklace as her own. Is it the sort of
necklace that a holiday governess would own? It must be worth several
hundreds of pounds at least. I found it locked up in her dressing bag,
and hadn't she happened to leave the key which, as a rule, she is always
careful to carry about with her, lying on her dressing table, I could not
have got at it."

"Oh, Hilary!" said Mrs. Danvers feebly, "I don't think it was nice of you
to poke and pry about in her room, I really don't."

"That is what I told her," said Margaret coldly and contemptuously. "She
first of all invented an errand that took me out of the house, and then
used the opportunity to search my room."

"Detectives have to do things of that sort," said Hilary, reddening in
spite of herself; "but that's not the point. The point is that she says
this necklace belongs to her, that the miniature inside the locket is one
of her mother who gave it to her. Now, seeing that her name is Eleanor
Carson, and not Margaret or a surname beginning with an 'A.,' it is plain
enough to any one that she is telling a lie."

"Oh dear!" said Mrs. Danvers feebly, feeling quite unequal to cope with
the gravity of the situation, "I wish you both would not quarrel like
this, Hilary; you talk so fast that you bewilder me. Now, Miss Carson,
it is your turn to speak. I am quite sure that you can explain everything
if you will. You are too young, and--and far too nice a girl to be a
burglar, and if you will only tell us how Colonel Baker's things got
under your bed, I am sure Hilary will gladly apologise for anything she
may have said to hurt your feelings. And--and I am sure, as you are so
young, and this must be your first offence, that Colonel Baker will not
be too hard on you."

"Then you do believe I am a thief!" Margaret exclaimed, staring almost
incredulously at Mrs. Danvers. Then without another word she turned
abruptly on her heel, and walke