ith a startling impetuosity,
which drew her to her feet: "Are you going to tell everybody that? Are
you going to state publicly that Miss Glover brought an unpaid bill to
the party and that because Mr. Deane was unfortunate enough or careless
enough to drop and lose the jewel he was bringing to Mrs. Burton, she is
to be looked upon as a thief, because she stooped to pick up this bill
which had slipped inadvertently from its hiding-place? I shall die if
you do," she cried. "I shall die if it is already known," she pursued,
with increasing emotion. "Is it? Is it?"

Her passion was so great, so much greater than any likely to rise in a
breast wholly innocent, that I began to feel very sober.

"No one but Mrs. Ashley and possibly her son know about the bill," said
I, "and no one shall, if you will go with that lady to her room, and
make plain to her, in the only way you can, that the extremely valuable
article which has been lost to-night is not in your possession."

She threw up her arms with a scream. "Oh, what a horror! I can not! I
can not! Oh, I shall die of shame! My father! My mother!" And she burst
from the room like one distraught.

But in another moment she came cringing back. "I can not face them,"
she said. "They all believe it; they will always believe it unless I
submit--Oh, why did I ever come to this dreadful place? Why did I order
this hateful dress which I can never pay for and which, in spite of the
misery it has caused me, has failed to bring me the--" She did not
continue. She had caught my eye and seen there, perhaps, some evidence
of the pity I could not but experience for her. With a sudden change of
tone she advanced upon me with the appeal: "Save me from this
humiliation. I have not seen the ruby. I am as ignorant of its
whereabouts as--as Mr. Ashley himself. Won't you believe me? Won't they
be satisfied if I swear--"

I was really sorry for her. I began to think too that some dreadful
mistake had been made. Her manner seemed too ingenuous for guilt. Yet
where could that ruby be, if not with this young girl? Certainly, all
other possibilities had been exhausted, and her story of the bill, even
if accepted, would never quite exonerate her from secret suspicion
while that elusive jewel remained unfound.

"You give me no hope," she moaned. "I must go out before them all and
ask to have it proved that I am no thief. Oh, if God would have pity--"

"Or some one would find--Halloo! What's that?"