"I was a weak fool; I might have known that no good would come of such treachery--oh, yes, I knew in my heart; I knew that Derrick was worth a hundred of _him_. I sinned with my eyes open; no, I shut them; I was blinded by the thought, the prospect of being--what I am," she added bitterly; then, suddenly, she fixed her eyes on Celia's downcast face. "Derrick told you this? Then he knows you very well; you are a close friend of his; you are----?" "Yes," murmured Celia. "I am going to be his wife--very soon. We met in 'The Jail.'" She did not, she could not tell how that meeting had been brought about; she wanted to spare Miriam all she could; but, notwithstanding her resolution, the next words slipped out unconsciously. "He was accused of the robbery of the jewels----" She bit her lip; but it was too late for remorse. Miriam dropped back in the chair, her eyes closed and her lips became livid. "He did not do it!" she gasped. "No, no!" said Celia, quickly; "he has been proved innocent." There was silence for a moment; while Miriam evidently made an effort to control her agitation. "Who--who----? Have they found out who did it?" "No," broke in Celia, swiftly and tremulously. "No one has been discovered. Mr. Jacobs, the detective, said that no one will be discovered. The jewels have been found." "I know," murmured Miriam. "There will be no more trouble," whispered Celia, soothingly. Again there was a pause, then Miriam asked brokenly, "Heyton--my husband?" "He has gone abroad," said Celia, hanging her head; "he will be away some time." Miriam's lips moved; she whispered, at last, "I understand!--I must leave here--at once. I will go back to my people or hide myself somewhere in London." "Oh, go back to your people," said Celia. "I--I want to tell you how sorry the Marquess, all of us, are for you, how deeply we sympathise with your loss; it weighs upon us all." "It need not do," said Miriam, with a touch of bitterness. "I have always been a stranger and an alien here. Strangely enough, Celia, I have felt as if I--I have been walking on quicksand that might swallow me up at any moment. Oh, I have been as unhappy as I deserve. All the time, I have felt a sense of--of--oh, I can't explain; but it seemed to me as if my treachery to Derrick would come back on me. And it has! If you knew"--she shuddered--"but I can't tell you. I shall never open my lips--I want to go at once. Yes; I am quite strong enough. I want to go away from here--from you all. I want to be at rest, somewhere where I can try to forget. What a downfall! What a downfall!" Celia, with the tears in her eyes, put her arm round the trembling form. "Dear Lady Heyton," she murmured, "you must not give way. It may not be all as black as you think. And--and Derrick wishes me to tell you that your future--oh, how am I to put it!--that you will be well cared for; that you will have no need for anxiety about the future."