"Then he must have been concealed in the room," exclaimed Lyon,
desperately.
"Nay, nay! that will na do either, laird. Na mon was hid in the room.
Mysel' looked into all the closets, and under the bed, and up the
chimney, as I always do before I go to sleep. I could na sleep else.
Nay, nay, laird! The murderer came in neither by outer door nor window,
nor yet lay hidden in the room; for mysel' had fastened the outer door
and window, and searched the room before I slept. Nay, nay, laird! The
murderer cam by the only way left open--left open because we thought it
was safe--the way leading from Mistress Berners' room down to the
little stairs, and through this door which was not bolted," persisted
the Scotch girl.
Lyon Berners' heart seemed turned to ice by these last words.
Nevertheless he summoned fortitude to say: "We must examine and see if there has been a robbery committed. If there
has been one, then, of course, in the face of all this woman's
evidence, it will prove that the robber has done this foul deed."
"I do not see clearly that it will," objected Judge Basham. "However, we
will make the examination."
"Your honors need na tak the trouble. Mysel' saw to that too. See, the
bureau drawers and wardrobes are all fast locked as me leddy saw me lock
them hersel'. And the keys are safe in the pocket of my gown. Nay, nay,
lairds, naething is stolen," said Janet.
Nevertheless, Mr. Berners insisted on making the examination. So Janet
produced the keys and opened all the bureau drawers, boxes, wardrobes,
etc. All things were found in order. In the upper bureau drawer, caskets
of jewels, boxes of laces, rolls of bank-notes and other valuables were
found untouched. Nothing was missing.
In a word, no clue was found to the supposed murderer and robber; but,
on the other hand, every circumstance combined to fix the deed on Sybil.
Lyon Berners felt a faintness like death coming over him, and subduing
all his manhood. Unblenchingly, in his own person, he would have braved
any fate. But that his wife--his pure, high-toned, magnanimous Sybil,
should be caught up and ground to pieces by this horrible machinery of
circumstance and destiny! Was this a nightmare? His brain was reeling.
He felt that he might go mad. Like the drowning man, he caught at
straws. Turning to the Scotch girl, he demanded somewhat sternly: "And where were you when your mistress was being murdered? where were
you, that you did not hasten to her assistance? You could not have been
far off--you must in fact have been in that little adjoining nursery."
"And sae I was, laird; and her first screech waked me up and garred me
grew sae till I couldna move, and didna move till I heard her screech
again and again, and saw her rin acrass the floor, and tear back the
bolt and flecht fra the room, followed close behind by Mistress Berners.
And thin mysel' sprang up wi' the bairn in me arms and rin after them,
thinking the de'il was behind me. Oh, me puir leddy! oh, me puir, bonny
leddy! oh! oh! oh!" wept and wailed the girl, dropping down on the floor
and throwing her apron over her head.