"All of which circumstances are not sufficient to make you as white as a ghost," said Charles. "I think even if Aurelia has a headache, you would bear the occurrence with fortitude. My dear child, you do not act so well off the stage as on it. There is something on your mind. People don't upset water at dinner, and refuse all food except pellets of pinched bread, for nothing. What is it?" Evelyn sank into a chair, and covered her face with her trembling hands. "Yes, I thought so," said Charles, kneeling down by her, and gently withdrawing her hands. "Come, Evelyn, what is it?" "I dare not say." And she turned away her face, and tried to disengage her hands, but Charles held them firmly. "Is it about what happened last night?" he asked, in a tone that was kind, but that evidently intended to have an answer. "Yes." "And do you know that I am suspected?" "You, Charles? Never!" she cried, starting up. "Yes, I. Suspected by my own father. So, if you know anything, Evelyn--which I see you do--it is your duty to tell us, and to help us in every way you can." He had let go her hands now, and had risen. "I don't know anything for certain," she said, "but--but we soon shall. Aurelia knows, and she is going to tell Ralph." "Miss Grant!" I exclaimed. "She knew nothing at tea-time. She was asking me about it." "It is since then," continued Evelyn. "I went up to her room before dinner to ask her for a fan that I had lent her. She was packing some of her things, and the floor was strewn with packing-paper and parcels. She gave me my fan, and was going on putting her things together, talking all the time, when she asked me to hand her a glove-box on the dressing-table. As I did so my eye fell on a piece of paper lying together with others, and I instantly recognized it as the same that had been wrapped round the diamond crescent when Colonel Middleton first showed us the jewels. I should never have noticed it--for though it was rice paper, it looked just like the other pieces strewn about--if I had not seen two little angular tears, which I suddenly remembered making in it myself when General Marston asked me not to pull it to pieces, which I suppose I had been absently doing. I made some sort of exclamation of surprise, and Aurelia turned round sharply, and asked me what was the matter. As I did not answer, she left her packing and came to the table. She saw in a moment what I was looking at. I had turned as red as fire, and she was quite white. 'I did not mean you to see that,' she said, at last, quietly taking up the paper. 'I meant no one to know until I had shown it to Ralph. _Do you know where I found it?_' and she looked hard at me. I could only shake my head. I was too much ashamed of a suspicion I had had to be able to get out a word. 'I am very sorry,' continued Aurelia, 'but I am afraid it will be my duty to tell Ralph, whatever the consequences may be. I have been thinking it over, and I think he ought to know.