There was a tapping at the door; a maid came in. She advanced towards the girl with something held out in her hand. "Excuse me, Miss Forster, but is this yours?" It was a locket, attached to a slender gold chain. The girl looked round quickly; she made as if to open the box she had just now shut. Then she said: "I don't think it can be mine, but it resembles one I have; please let me look at it." She took the locket and examined it closely. As she did so her face changed, as if something had startled her. She looked at the maid, with in her eyes what might almost have been a look of fear. Then, turning her back, as if to hide the agitation which she could not help but feel, she touched a spring; the locket came open. At the sight of what was within she broke into a sudden exclamation; she swung right round again. There was no doubt that something had startled her now; the blood had come into her cheeks, her eyes were wide open, she trembled. "Where did you get this?" she cried. "If you please, miss, I found it on the floor outside your room. I was coming along and I saw it lying there, and it was so close to your door that I thought you might have dropped it." "When was this? When did you see it there?" "A moment ago, miss; as soon as I had picked it up, I knocked at your door." "But it's inconceivable, incredible! It certainly wasn't there just now when Lady Cantyre went out." "That I can't say, miss; I didn't see her ladyship." "But if it had been there she would have seen it." The girl moved a step closer. "Who are you?" The maid seemed as if she did not know what to make of Miss Forster's manner, which was peculiar; so peculiar that it might almost have been described as threatening. "Me, miss? I'm Simmons." Miss Forster was silent, not, it would seem, because she had nothing to say, but because she had so much that she didn't know how to say it. All at once she moved towards the door of the room. "Come here; now show me, please, exactly where you found this locket, the very spot." Opening the door, she allowed the maid to precede her into the passage. As if, as was only natural, disconcerted by the young lady's manner, the maid did what was required. She pointed to the floor. "I can't, of course, miss, say which was the exact spot--nobody could; but I should say, as near as possible, it was just there." "Then Lady Cantyre must have seen it as she went out; if she had she would have brought it to me; she would have done something." "As to that, miss, I cannot speak." "You say that your name is Simmons?" "Yes, miss, Jane Simmons." "Have you been here long?" "No, miss; I'm one of the new servants who came in just before Easter when the family returned from town." "What made you think that the locket had anything to do with me?"