"Faustina!" exclaimed the viscount, as soon as Cuthbert had gone, "your folly will be the ruin of us both some day--will lead to discovery! Can you not let the black woman, as you call her, rest? Why will you be so indiscreet?" "Oh, it is you who are indiscreet now," exclaimed Faustina, clasping her hands and glancing towards Mrs. MacDonald, whose sleep seemed too deep to be real. "Try to govern yourself, then!" said the viscount. "Ah, how can I, when I am quaking like a jelly with my terror?" "You should not undertake dangerous crimes unless you possess heroic courage," said the viscount. "Mon Dieu! it is you who will ruin us!" cried Faustina, stamping her small feet and pointing to Mrs. MacDonald. The viscount laughed. And at this moment old Cuthbert re-entered the room. "Well?" asked Lord Vincent. "If you please, me laird, they say they maun see yer lairdship's sel' and the leddy," said the old man. "What the blazes do they want with us? Was ever anything so insolently persistent? Go and tell the fellows that I cannot and will not see them to-night! And if they are disappointed it will serve them right for coming out on such a night as this, They must have been mad!" "Verra weel, me laird. I'll tell them," said the old man, departing. "Compose yourself, Faustina, this business has no reference to you, I assure you. When they asked for us, they merely wished to see us to put some questions about the case of Ailsie Dunbar," said the viscount, who had not the slightest suspicion that there was, or could be, a warrant out for his arrest. He fancied himself entirely secure in his crimes. He believed the negroes to be safe beyond the sea; sold into slavery in a land of which they did not even understand the language, and from which they never would be allowed to return. He believed Claudia to be crushed under the conspiracy he had formed against her. He believed her father to be far away. And so he considered himself safe from all interruptions of his iniquities. What was there, in fact, to arouse his fears? What had he to dread? Nothing, he thought. And he was still laughing at Faustina's weakness as he stood with his back to the fire, when once more the door opened and old Cuthbert reappeared, wearing a frightened countenance and followed by two policemen. Faustina shrieked with terror, covered her face with her hands, and shrunk back in her chair. Mrs. MacDonald, aroused by the shriek from her real or feigned sleep, opened her eyes and stared. But Lord Vincent, astonished and indignant, strode towards the door and demanded of his old servant: "What means this intrusion, sir? Did I not order you to say to these persons that I would not see them to-night? How dare you bring them to this room?" "'Deed, me laird, I could na help it! When I gi'e them yer lairdship's message they e'en just bid me gang before, and sae they followed me up, pushing me to the right and left at their ain will," said Cuthbert sullenly.