The article was measured and cut almost as soon as ordered, and the remnant rewound into a small parcel and thrown upon the counter. At the same moment, and as a boy handed Caroline the edging, wrapped in paper, for which she had already paid, and which she took mechanically, she heard one of the bystanders whisper to another: "The Countess D----!" (one of the most celebrated women of England.) "Ma'ma," said Caroline, "did you observe that lady?" And they left the shop. "Bless me!" said Mrs. Clifford, looking at her watch, "do you know how late it is? Half past two. We promised to be at Mrs. Porter's at this very time. She said, you remember, she was going out at four; and it will take us, I'm afraid, nearly an hour to get there." "Then let us make haste, ma'ma!" And with a very rapid pace they hurried back toward Regent Street and Portland Place. They had gone on in this way, perhaps, twenty minutes, when a white-headed, respectable-looking old gentleman was thrust aside by a rude fellow pushing by, so that he ran against Caroline, and caused her to drop her pocket-handkerchief. He stopped, with evident marks of mortification, and picked it up, with a polite apology. Caroline assured him she was not hurt. "But, my dear young lady," said the benevolent-looking old gentleman, "let me return your parcel." "Oh, that is not mine," replied Caroline. "I beg your pardon, it fell with your handkerchief." "Gracious Heaven!" exclaimed Caroline, "what have I done! I have brought away a piece of that lace! Ma'ma, let us go back directly." Although the incident had occupied but a minute, Mrs. Clifford and Franklin, engaged in conversation, had not perceived it, and had gone several paces on. The old gentleman smiled, bowed, and disappeared around a corner. At this moment a man stepped up, and laying his hand roughly on Caroline's arm, said, "Young woman, you must come with me!" And a second iron-hand grasped her other arm. Shocked and affrighted, she saw they were policemen. Then the voice of a person very much out of breath, cried, "This is the one!--I can swear to her! And look!--there is the very lace in her hand!" Pale as death, bewildered with terror, the poor girl could only attempt to say, "Ma'ma! ma'ma!" but her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth, and her voice refused its office. A crowd had already collected, and the words, "Lady been a stealing!" and, "They've nabbed a thief!" were audible enough. "Come, my beauty!" said the man, pulling her forward, "we've no time to lose." "Scoundrel!" cried the voice of Franklin, as he grasped him by the throat, "who are you?" "You see who we are;" was the stern reply; "we're policemen, in the execution of our duty. Take your band off my throat." Franklin recognized their uniform, and relaxed his hold. "Policemen! and what have policemen to do with this lady? You have made some stupid blunder. This is a lady. She is under my protection. Take your hand off her arm!"