She recovered her cheerfulness, and even acquired a bloom she had never possessed before.  And her attendants took care to keep from her all that could revive her memory of the tragedy at Lone.

One morning the Duke of Hereward came to the house and asked to see Lady Belgrade alone.

The dowager received him in the library.

“Has Miss Levison seen the morning papers?” he inquired, as soon as the usual greetings were over.

“No, they have not yet come,” answered her ladyship.

“Thank Heaven!  Do not let her see them on any account!  I would not have her shocked.  The truth is,” he added, in explanation of his words to the wondering dowager, “I have important news to tell you.  The mysterious vailed woman, supposed to be connected with the robbery and murder at Lone Castle, has been found and arrested.  The stolen property has been discovered in her possession.  And she—­you will be infinitely shocked—­she proves to be Rose Cameron, the daughter of one of our shepherds, living near Ben Lone.”

CHAPTER XI.

THE VAILED PASSENGER.

We must return to the night of the murder, and to the man and woman whom Salome Levison heard, and did not merely “dream” that she heard, conversing under her balcony at midnight.

When left alone in her dark and silent hiding-place, the woman waited long and impatiently.  Sometimes she crept out from her shadowy nook, and stole a look up to the casements of the castle, but they were all dark and silent, and closely shut, save one immediately above her head, which stood open, though neither lighted nor occupied.

She had waited perhaps an hour when stealthy footsteps were heard approaching, and not one, but two men came up whispering in hurried and agitated tones.  She caught a few words of their troubled talk.

“You have betrayed me!  I never meant, under any circumstances, that you should have done such a deed!” said one.

“It was necessary to our safety.  We should have been discovered and arrested,” said the other.

“You have brought the curse of Cain upon my head!” groaned the first speaker.

“Come, come, my lord, brace up!  No one intended what has happened.  It was an accident, a calamity, but it is an accomplished fact, and ’what is done, is done,’ and ‘what is past remedy is past regret.’  If the old man hadn’t squealed—­”

“Hush! burn you! the girl will hear!” whispered the first speaker, as they approached the woman under the balcony.

“Rose, here; don’t speak.  Take this bag; be very careful of it; do not let it for a moment go out of your sight, or even out of your hand.  Go to Lone station.  The train for London stops there at 12:15.  Take a second-class ticket, keep your face covered with a thick vail until you get to London, and to the house.  I will join you there in a few days,” said the first speaker, earnestly.