"Nor did I, till I came to this horrible house!" she whispered. "Oh, Laurie, what are you going to do?" for he had drawn her arms from his neck and was pushing her hurriedly into a chair. "I shall speak to the ghost," he whispered, and darted down the flowery vista. There was a stifled shriek, a flutter of garments. The ghost fled into the outer darkness, and Laurie Meredith after it. Jewel sat quaking in her chair, thinking in terror: "Ah, what if it should lead him into the old cellar, and he should discover my awful secret?" At that moment a woman's shrill, frightened cry became audible, a moment later the voice of a man: "Who are you, playing ghost like this, and frightening helpless women out of their senses? You need not struggle, for I am going to unmask you." CHAPTER XXXIX. The pretty ghost was quite strong. It struggled desperately out there in the darkness, but it was no match for Laurie Meredith, and presently he dragged it triumphantly into the conservatory, and tore from it a wig of fair hair and a white complexion mask. This revealed the pretty, flustered face of Jewel's maid, who, in a spangled tarletan dress and wig and mask, had made an ethereal-looking ghost. "Marie!" exclaimed Jewel, in astonishment and relief. "_Oui, ma'amselle_," replied the pretty maid, with a titter. "So you recognize the ghost?" Laurie demanded. "Yes," said Jewel. "Oh, Marie, was it you all the time?" "Pardon, mademoiselle, but--yes. I--I--did not mean to frighten any one, only to tease Jules, the gardener, who is my lover." "It was a very poor joke. If I were in your place, Jewel, I would dismiss this girl from my employ at once," Laurie Meredith said, sternly. Marie whimpered, and looked pleadingly at Jewel, who hardened her heart, and said, severely: "Yes, you may go. You are a mischievous girl, and have given me several frights that I shall never forget." A strange smile flickered over the girl's face, but she said, humbly: "I will never do it again--only let me stay, ma'amselle!" "No, you shall not stay. I discharge you, and without a character," replied Jewel, angrily. "Oh, mademoiselle, you are cruel. Grant me but a private interview, and I will convince you that I am not to blame," pleaded Marie, humbly; but her eloquence would have had no effect on Jewel but for an expression that appeared in the girl's eyes and startled her into yielding, it was so full of bold meaning and deadly menace. The glance made Jewel quake, she could not tell why, only that her consciousness of a dark and guilty secret made her nervous and fearful. She hesitated a moment, and the girl, turning her back completely on Laurie, made large eyes of such impudent menace at her that she was compelled to acquiesce. She looked at her betrothed, and said, sweetly: "Perhaps I had better hear her defense, Laurie. I do not wish to be too hard on a poor, friendless girl."