saying as we came in. "There is
nothing indiscreet in mentioning a slip; is there, Evelyn? I trust not;
for I heard Lady Delmour telling Mrs. Wright that all well-brought-up
young ladies had silk slips. Then--"

"He exposes his ignorance more entirely every moment," said Evelyn. "Let
us all go to bed, and leave him to hold forth to men who know as little
as himself."

"Oh, Ralph!" said Aurelia, pointing to the jewels on her neck and arms;
"before we go I want you to take back these. I don't like keeping them
myself; I am afraid of them." And she began to take them off and lay
them on the table.

"Nonsense, my pet; keep them yourself, and lock them up in your
dressing-case." And Ralph held them towards her.

"I haven't got a dressing-case," said Aurelia, pouting; "and my hat-box
won't lock. I don't like having them. I wish you would keep them
yourself."

"Bother!" said Ralph; "and father has gone to bed. He can't put them
back into his safe, and he keeps the key himself. Where is the bag they
go in?"

Aurelia said that she had seen him put it behind a certain jar on the
chimney-piece in the morning-room, and Carr went for it, she following
him with a candle, as all the lamps had been put out. They presently
returned with it, and Ralph, who had been collecting all the jewels
spread over the table, shovelled them in with little ceremony.

"Bother!" he said again, looking round and swinging the bag; "what on
earth am I to do with them? Ah, well, here goes!" and he opened a side
drawer in a massive writing-table and shoved the bag in.

"There!" he said, locking it, and putting the key in his pocket; "they
will do very well there till to-morrow. Are you content now, Aurelia?"

"Oh yes," she said, "I am, if you are." And she bade us good-night and
followed in the wake of the others, who were really under way at last.

As we all tramped wearily up-stairs to the smoking-room I saw Charles
draw Ralph aside and whisper something to him.

"Nonsense!" I heard Ralph say. "Safe enough. Besides, who would suspect
their being there? Just as safe as in the strong-box. Brahma lock. Won't
be bothered any more about them."

Charles shrugged his shoulders and marched off to bed. Ralph and Carr
likewise went off shortly afterwards to their rooms in the lodge. Carr
looked tired to death. I went down with them, at Ralph's request, to
lock the door behind them, as all the servants had gone to bed.

It was a fine night, still and