One would think she had been his sister, or
his dearest friend."

"Is he going with the rest, Harry?"

"No; he will stay till after the funeral; then he is going abroad. He
feels deeply with you, Bella, and desired me to tell you so."

"He is very good--thank him in my name."

* * * * *

But released from the care of thinking for her guests, and sitting
crying alone in her dressing-room, poor Mrs. Clayton could not imagine
what to do with the iron-clamped black box. She had promised Blanche not
to confide in her husband, or Colonel Damer. The latter, having no
family vault, wished to lay the remains of his wife amongst those of the
Claytons in the country churchyard of Molton; but how to get the black
box conveyed to the grave without the knowledge of the chief mourners
was a mystery beyond the fathoming of Bella's open heart. But in the
midst of her perplexity, Fate sent her aid. On the second day of her
cousin's death, a gentle tap sounded at her chamber door, and on her
invitation to enter being answered, she was surprised to see Mr.
Laurence on the threshold--come, as she imagined, to offer his sympathy
in person.

"This is very kind of you, Mr. Laurence," she said.

"I can scarcely claim your gratitude, Mrs. Clayton. I have sought you to
speak on a very important but painful subject. May I ask your attention
for a few moments?"

"Of course you may!" And she motioned him to a seat.

"It concerns her whom we have lost. Mrs. Clayton, tell me truly--did you
love your cousin?"

"Dearly--very dearly, Mr. Laurence. We were brought up together."

"Then I may depend on your discretion; and if you wish to save her
memory you must exercise it in her behalf. There is a small iron-clamped
black trunk amongst her boxes, which must not fall into Colonel Damer's
hands. Will you have that box conveyed from her chamber to your own, and
(if you will so far trust my honour) make it over to me?"

"To you, Mr. Laurence--the iron-bound box? What possible knowledge can
you have of my cousin's secret?"

"Her secret?"

"Yes--she confided that box to my care the night she died. She made me
promise to do (without question) what you have just asked me to perform,
and I did it. The trunk is already here."

And throwing open a cupboard at the side of the room, she showed him the
chest which he had mentioned.

"I see that it is," he answered. "How do you design disposing of it?"

"She wished it