, and would you please go
round the north way, and not come into the library just now? Thank you
ever so much for helping me! No, I must go in, I truly must."

* * * * *

Mrs. Peyton was sitting bolt upright on the sofa on which they had laid
her. Her face was absolutely colorless; it might have been an ivory
statue, but for the ghastly look of the blue eyes. She fixed her eyes on
Margaret, but said nothing. Margaret ran to her, and put her arms round
her. "Oh, how could they leave you alone?" she cried. "She is safe;
every one is safe, dear Mrs. Peyton. No one hurt, only Jenny overcome
with the smoke a little. I thought Jean would have told you."

The ivory figure began to tremble. With shaking hands she tried to put
Margaret away from her; then, with a sudden revulsion of feeling, she
clung to her and burst into tears.

"I sent them away!" she whispered through her sobs. "I would not have
them look at me. Margaret--are you sure? that girl, is she truly safe?"

"Truly and honestly, dear Mrs. Peyton. It was a most marvellous escape,
but she is absolutely unharmed, and she saved another life beside her
own. But for Grace, poor little Jenny must have been lost. She is a
heroine, our Grace!"

"I did not mean to kill her!" said the poor woman. "I did not realize
what it meant. I said, 'My jewels! my jewels!' and I don't know what
other nonsense. She never said a word, just turned and went back.
Then--oh! then, when you were all gone, I understood, I saw, that I had
sent her to her death for those--those horrible things. Never--never let
me see them again! I have been sitting here--years, it seems to
me--waiting to hear that she was dead; perhaps to see her body brought
in, all--"

"Oh, hush, hush, Mrs. Peyton! You will make yourself ill. You are only
distressing yourself beyond all need. She is safe, I tell you. In a few
moments you will see for yourself--"

At this moment the door opened, and Grace stood before them. She was a
strange figure indeed. Black with smoke, her fair hair gray with ashes,
her dress torn and discolored; but sparkling with jewels as never was
any ballroom belle. Superb necklaces of diamond and emerald hung around
her neck; her arms glittered with bracelets, her fingers were loaded
with rings, while ropes of amethyst and pearl were wound around her head
and even about her waist.

"All the way over," said Grace, "I have been pitying the robber who
didn't meet