or me?"

"Yes, I will, my dear child."

"Here is a half-sovereign then to pay for the cab hire. And, oh! be sure
ye tak' unco gude care o' my papers! They's a' my fortun', ye ken."

"Yes, indeed, I know how important they are to you, and I will bring them
back safe," said the housekeeper, as she put the marriage certificate,
the letter, the portrait, and the money in her pocket, and arose to leave
the cell.

"And noo, we'll see, an' I dinna bring ye to open shame, ye graund
de'il!" exclaimed Rose.

"I don't blame your anger, my poor dear, but don't use bad words. And now
I am off. Good-day to you until I see you again," said the woman, as she
left the cell.

Mrs. Brown was a good woman, but she did delight in hearing and retailing
gossip, and in making and seeing a sensation; so she rather enjoyed her
errand to Westbourne Terrace. She was also a brave woman, so she did not
shrink from meeting the high-born bridegroom and the bride with her
overwhelming revelations.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE SECOND BRIDAL MORN.

We must return to Elmhurst House and take up the thread of Salome's
destiny, where we left it on the morning on which the young Duke of
Hereward had called on Lady Belgrade and informed her ladyship of the
arrest of the mysterious, vailed passenger, and implored her to keep all
the papers announcing that arrest, or in any manner referring to the
tragedy at Castle Lone, from the sight of the bereaved daughter and
betrothed bride.

"And so the mysterious vailed woman had been discovered, and she turns
out to be Rose Cameron!" repeated Lady Belgrade, reflectively. Then,
after a pause, she said: "I wonder who was her confederate in that
atrocious crime--or, rather, who was her master in it? for she is too
weak and simple to have been anything but a blind tool, poor creature!"

"You knew her, then?" said the duke.

"Only by report while I was staying at Castle Lone. But the report came
from the tenantry, who had known her from childhood--a handsome,
ignorant, vain and credulous fool of a peasant girl, more likely to
become the victim of some godless man, than the confederate of murderers.
Did _you_ know her, duke?" meaningly inquired the lady, as she
remembered the reports in circulation at Castle Lone, that connected the
name of the handsome shepherdess with that of the young nobleman.

"No, I never saw the girl in my life. I have heard her beauty highly
praised by some of the late companions of my