e opened the dressing-table drawer and found a
long case containing an almost priceless diamond necklace, she was more
interested still, though not so pleased. In the wardrobe, when she went
to put away her "bonnet," she found a tiara and several brooches, and
the rest of the jewellery turned up in various parts of the room during
the next half-hour. The children looked more and more uncomfortable, and
now Jane began to sniff.

Mother looked at her gravely.

"Jane," she said, "I am sure you know something about this. Now think
before you speak, and tell me the truth."

"We found a Fairy," said Jane obediently.

[Illustration: "We found a Fairy," said Jane obediently]

"No nonsense, please," said her mother sharply.

"Don't be silly, Jane," Cyril interrupted. Then he went on desperately.
"Look here, mother, we've never seen the things before, but Lady
Chittenden at Peasmarsh Place lost all her jewellery by wicked burglars
last night. Could this possibly be it?"

All drew a deep breath. They were saved.

"But how could they have put it here? And why should they?" asked
mother, not unreasonably. "Surely it would have been easier and safer to
make off with it?"

"Suppose," said Cyril, "they thought it better to wait for--for
sunset--nightfall, I mean, before they went off with it. No one but us
knew that you were coming back to-day."

"I must send for the police at once," said mother distractedly. "Oh, how
I wish daddy were here!"

"Wouldn't it be better to wait till he _does_ come?" asked Robert,
knowing that his father would not be home before sunset.

"No, no; I can't wait a minute with all this on my mind," cried mother.
"All this" was the heap of jewel-cases on the bed. They put them all in
the wardrobe, and mother locked it. Then mother called Martha.

"Martha," she said, "has any stranger been into my room since I've been
away? Now, answer me truthfully."

"No, mum," answered Martha; "leastways, what I mean to say"--

She stopped.

"Come," said her mistress kindly, "I see someone has. You must tell me
at once. Don't be frightened. I'm sure _you_ haven't done anything
wrong."

Martha burst into heavy sobs.

"I was a-goin' to give you warning this very day, mum, to leave at the
end of my month, so I was,--on account of me being going to make a
respectable young man happy. A gamekeeper he is by trade, mum--and I
wouldn't deceive you--of the name of Beale. And it's as true as I stand
here, it was