Lady Vincent reached forth her hand and rang the bell, and then listened, but no one answered it. She rang again, with no better success. After waiting some little time she rang a violent peal, that presently brought the housekeeper hurrying into the room, pale as death, and nearly out of breath. "Mrs. Murdock, I have rung three times. I have never before had occasion to ring twice for attendance," said Lady Vincent, in a displeased tone. "Ou, me leddy, ye will e'en forgi'e me this ance, when ye come to hear the cause," panted the housekeeper. "What has happened?" demanded Claudia. "Ou, me leddy! sic an' awfu' event." "What is it, then?" "Just murther--no less!" "Murder!" exclaimed Claudia, starting up and gazing at the speaker with horror-distended eyes. "Just murther!" gasped the housekeeper, sinking down in the armchair beside her lady's bed, because in truth her limbs gave way beneath her. "Who? what? For Heaven's sake, speak!" "The puir bit lassie--" began the dame; but her voice failed, and she covered her face with her apron and began to howl. Claudia gazed at her in consternation and horror for a minute, and then again demanded: "What lassie? Who is murdered? For the Lord's sake try to answer me!" "Puir Ailsie! puir wee bit lassie!" wailed the woman. "Ailsie! what has happened to her?" demanded Lady Vincent, bewildered with panic. "She's found murthered!" howled the housekeeper. "Ailsie! Heaven of heavens, no!" cried Claudia, wound up to a pitch of frenzied excitement. "Aye is she; found lying outside the castle wall, wi' her puir throat cut fra ear to ear!" shrieked the dame, covering up her face to smother the cries she could not suppress. "Mercy of Heaven, how horrible!" exclaimed Lady Vincent, throwing her hands up to her face, and falling back on her pillow. "Puir Ailsie! puir, bonnie lassie!" howled the dame, rocking her body to and fro. "Who did it?" gasped Claudia, under her breath. "Ah! that's what we canna come at; naebody kens." "I cannot rest here any longer. Ring the bell, Mrs. Murdock, and hand me my dressing gown. I must get up and go downstairs. Good Heavens! a poor, innocent girl murdered in this house, and her murderer allowed to escape!" exclaimed Claudia, throwing the bed- clothes off her and rising in irrepressible excitement. "Ah, me leddy, I fear, I greatly fear, she was no that innocent as your leddyship thinks, puir bairn! Nae that I would say onything about it, only it's weel kenned noo. Puir Ailsie! she lost her innocence before she lost her life, me leddy. And I greatly misdoubt, he that reft her of the ane reft her of the ither!" sobbed the dame, as she assisted Claudia to put on her crimson silk dressing gown. "Now give me a shawl; I must go below."