第591页 / 共657页

"And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently,

for who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must

feel to you? I knew that you went out little, and that your

circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir

George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil

reputation among women. It must have been he who wore those boots

and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur

had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was

safe, for the lad could not say a word without compromising his

own family.