as doesn't belong to 'em mayn't be much good."

"The ribbon is not yours," said Diana haughtily.

"Yes it are! Findings is keepings with me!" answered Mrs. Kebby.

"Don't anger her," whispered Denzil, touching Miss Vrain's arm. "We may
find her useful."

Diana looked from him to the old woman, and opened her purse, at the
sight of which Mrs. Kebby's sour face relaxed. When Miss Vrain gave her
half a sovereign she quite beamed with joy. "The blessing of heaven on
you, my dear," she said, with a curtsey. "Gold! good gold! Ah! this is a
brave day's work for me--thirteen blessed shillings!"

"Ten, you mean, Mrs. Kebby!"

"Oh, no, sir," cried Mrs. Kebby obsequiously, "the lady gave me ten,
bless her heart, but you've quite forgot your three."

"I said two."

"Ah! so you did, sir. I'm a poor schollard at 'rithmetic."

"You're clever enough to get money out of people," said Diana, who was
disgusted at the avarice of the hag. "However, for the present you must
be content with what I have given you. If, in cleaning this house, you
find any other article, whatever it may be, you shall have another ten
shillings, on consideration that you take it at once to Mr. Denzil."

Mrs. Kebby, who was tying up the piece of gold in the corner of her
handkerchief, nodded her old head with much complacency. "I'll do it,
miss; that is, if the gentleman will pay on delivery. I like cash."

"You shall have cash," said Lucian, laughing; and then, as Diana
intimated her intention of leaving the house, he descended the stairs in
her company.

Miss Vrain kept silence until they were outside in the sunshine, when
she cast an upward glance at the warm blue sky, dappled with light
clouds.

"I am glad to be out of that house," she said, with a shudder. "There is
something in its dark and freezing atmosphere which chills my spirits."

"It is said to be haunted, you know," said Lucian carelessly; then,
after a pause, he spoke on the subject which was uppermost in his mind.
"Now that you have this piece of evidence, Miss Vrain, what do you
intend to do?"

"Make sure that I have made no mistake, Mr. Denzil. I shall go down to
Berwin Manor this afternoon. If the stiletto is still hanging on the
library wall by its ribbon, I shall admit my mistake; if it is absent,
why then I shall return to town and consult with you as to what is best
to be done. You know I rely on you."

"I shall do whatever you wish, Miss Vrain," said Lucian fervently.