“Why didn’t she demand them, and take the law to enforce her rights then?” demanded Lady Randal, sharply. “It does not sound like a very probable story to me. How do you know she is Meta Douglas’ niece? I believe you’ve been taken in yourself.” She was determined not to believe anything against her guests if she could help it. Matters had gone so far now, that she could not have the match between Sir Charles and Isabel broken off; the scandal of it would be unbearable, to say nothing of the loss of Isabel’s fortune, which she believed to be enormous. They had been expecting Mr. Coolidge for a week, and thought surely he would be there to-day, when the settlements were to be arranged, and there must be no trouble now. “We have indisputable proof, Lady Randal; and as for Miss Douglas taking the law to enforce her rights, she fully intended to do so when she left Mrs. Coolidge’s house; but you remember the accident which occurred, and which threw her into your family; and then before she was fully recovered Lady Ruxley brought her down here. “The day when she so strangely disappeared she met Miss Coolidge in the upper corridor, as she was going out for her walk. She again demanded her property, and was again refused. Upon returning to the hall, in passing Miss Isabel’s room, she saw the casket upon the table, she entered and took it, and was about leaving the room when Mrs. Coolidge confronted her, demanding that she put down the casket. She refused, when the woman locked the door, putting the key in her pocket, saying she could not leave the place until she relinquished it.” “Really, Lady Randal,” interrupted Mrs. Coolidge, rising, apparently in great wrath, “I cannot remain to endure further insult!” “Please be seated,” she returned, “we will hear this whole story now. I must confess it does not sound very plausible to me, but we will hear their side, and then your own.” She little thought how the “whole story” would affect her! “Go on,” she added, to Lord Dunforth; but Adrian now took up the story. “Miss Douglas utterly refused to give up her property again, and the two had a stormy scene, until Mrs. Coolidge finally professed to be willing to temporize with her, and pretending to take her into her own room, enticed her into a secret chamber which she had discovered——” “What! the treasure chamber!” ejaculated Lady Randal, excitedly, and losing all her color again. “I do not know what the place is called,” Adrian replied, “but she locked her within it, and kept her there without food or light, or even a chair to sit upon until midnight, when she and her daughter sought her again, and, by stratagem and force combined, succeeded in getting possession of the jewels again. Then they brought her food and bedding, telling her she was to remain there until after the wedding, since they could not run the risk of her making them trouble and interfering with their prospects.” “’Tis false!” shrieked Isabel, nearly beside herself.