“A friend of his lordship told my brother, who met him while he was traveling in this country. He did not know the truth of the matter regarding the note I sent, until brother told him, and I do not suppose Lord Dunforth knows to this day of Helen Capel’s treachery, or that she was the cause of our separation. “Now, darling,” concluded Miss Mehetabel, with a little tremulous smile which was sadder than tears, “you know the reason why I am an old maid.” “Did Miss Capel ever marry?” Brownie asked. “Yes, the year following Lord Dunforth’s marriage; but I have forgotten the name of her husband.” “If you had discovered her treachery before his marriage would you have sought a reconciliation?” “Certainly, dear, for I know that he loved me with a love as true and strong as my own for him, and this makes me think to caution you, never to let pride stand in the way of your happiness. If I had hushed the voice of pride, and written his lordship to come to me, when I so longed to do so, all would have been well even then.” “I should like to have known Lord Dunforth, auntie—I mean I should like to see the man whom you would choose,” the young girl said, musingly, and not heeding the advice just given. In after months she remembered it. A look of keen pain swept over the old lady’s face, but she had fully recovered her self-possession now. “Go and bring me a little ebony box, dear, which you will find in the third drawer of my dressing-case,” she said. Brownie arose to obey, and soon returned, bringing a beautiful casket about twelve inches square and eight deep. It was inlaid with pearl and gold, in lovely designs, and was quite heavy for anything so small. Miss Mehetabel took a delicate chain from her neck, to which was attached a tiny golden key. Her hand shook as with the palsy, as she inserted the key in its lock. “This has not been opened for forty years, my child, and I feel as if I were about to look upon the dead,” she said, in a voice that shook, despite her efforts to control it. “Don’t open it now, then, Aunt Meta. I cannot bear you to live over this sorrow for me,” Brownie answered, a feeling of awe stealing over her at Miss Mehetabel’s words. “I will look once more before I die, dear, and I wish to tell you about these things, which are to be yours when I am gone.” She turned the key as she spoke, and lifted the jeweled cover, and Brownie uttered a cry of delight at the sight which greeted her eyes. There, upon their blue velvet bed, gleamed such jewels as she had never seen before. In the center lay a beautiful diamond necklace, with ear-pendants to match. Then there was a coral and diamond cross, with a hair ornament, in the shape of a butterfly, to match. A tiara composed of pearls, opals, and diamonds, with a cross for the neck. Rings of pearls, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds; one, a large pearl, surrounded by six small, pure diamonds, Miss Mehetabel took up tenderly in her hand.