or if
she had seen Mr. John Scott. So I knew nothing until the next morning,
when I got the _Times_. I don't in general care about reading the
papers myself, but opened it that morning to see if there was anything
in it about the grand wedding at Lone. And oh! My lady, I saw how the
wedding had been stopped on account of--on account--of what happened to
Sir Lemuel Levison that night, my lady, as I don't like to talk of it,
or even t think of it. But when Mrs. John Scott rang her bell that
morning, my lady, I took up the paper with her cup of tea, which she
always took in bed. And oh, my lady, when she came to know what had
happened at Lone, she went off into the very worst hysterics I ever
saw. I was struck all of a heap! I couldn't imagine why she should take
it so awfully to heart as that. But that's neither here nor there. I know
_now_ why she took it so to heart. In the midst of all the hubbub,
Mr. John Scott returned. And she fairly flew at him! She said, among
other bitter, things, that he would bring her to the gallows yet! And she
charged him with what she had overheard. But somehow or other he laughed
at her, and explained it all away to her satisfaction. He could always
make her believe whatever he pleased. If he had told her the rainbow was
only a few yards of striped Leamington ribbon, she would have believed
him! He didn't stay more than an hour, and was off again in a hurry. We
didn't see him again until the last of the week. It was the news of the
coroner's verdict on the Lone murder case was telegraphed to London, when
he came rushing in at the door and up the stairs like a mad-man. And in
ten minutes he came rushing down stairs again and out of the street door
like a madman, but he carried the heavy little bag off with him in his
hand. And he has never been back since. But, from time to time, he wrote
to her, and sent her money, and told her that business still kept him
away. But, mind you, my lady, his letters were all without date or
signature, and were drop letters, now from one London post-office, and
now from another, so that she never knew where to address him.
Not that she cared. As long as her money lasted she was, perfectly
satisfied. She lived comfortably, and she amused herself, and often
went to the play and took me with her, and all went merry again until
yesterday, when, all on a sudden, the police made a descent on the house,
and arrested Mrs. John Scott on a charge of being implicated in