cence. Rarely, indeed, do men appointed to this responsible office fail in their judgment, or the exercise of their duty.

This scene was startlingly new to the Indian girl; and notwithstanding her sullenness, it was evident that she took the deepest interest in the proceedings. Helen gave her evidence with clearness and distinctness; and it was at this point of the trial that Oriana appeared to be the most moved. It would not be easy to follow the intricacies of a nature so wily as hers; but it may reasonably be imagined that her intelligent, but halfeducated mind, ignorant of the great principles of English law, yet observing the influence of Helen Beecham's words, became suddenly impressed with a conviction of the power and influence of the

family in whose hands she was. She trembled with some passion that might be partly rage, but looked very much like fear; and when, very shortly afterwards, the thief was with due solemnity pronounced "Guilty," and sentenced to transportation, Oriana was observed to look wildly around her, as if for the first time she fully realised some dreadful terror. Perhaps she expected that she would be publicly arraigned for her offences, and tried in a similar manner.

Oriana had been placed beside Frank on this occasion, for he considered himself her original captor, and seemed to have a right to be answerable for her safe custody. She watched, however, cunningly for an opportunity, and attempted to escape, when in the crowd

leaving the court, Frank's attention was for a moment distracted by the pressure around Mrs. Beecham and his aunt; yet his eye was too keen and his foot too swift for her to succeed; and as once again she felt his fatal grasp upon her arm, her courage gave way, the evil spirit, which had ruled so long, seemed to desert her: she suffered herself, without opposition, to be placed in the carriage, and long before the party had reached the Lodge, she promised, amid tears and sobs, and wild entreaties to be spared from punishment, to confess the whole course of her duplicity, and relate the history of her life. The narrative of one was indeed the story of the other; so early had been commenced, and so uninterruptedly continued the long career of her Deception.

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CHAPTER XI.

ORIANA'S STORY-THE PROGRESS OF GUILT.

"My earliest recollections," said Oriana,

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are of India, its burning climate, and the spacious house and lofty rooms belonging to my home. My parents were servants in the family of wealthy Europeans; and from infancy I was made a pet and plaything by the mistress. She had no children of her own, having lost a little girl, her only child, before I was born; and I suppose preferred me for companionship to a parrot or lapdog. I was treated with much the same capricious indulgence that is often bestowed by weak

people on brute favourites. I did not love Lady Danvers, and that is the truth. Sometimes she would kiss and caress me, give me sweetmeats, and take me riding in the early morning, before the sun, sending down its vertical rays, drives the cowering, pale-faced English to the shelter of their verandas. But when out of temper, and that was pretty often, she would scold, or strike, or what was worse to my haughty selfwilled spirit, neglect me altogether. My mother, who shortly before her death. was taught the worship of the True God, used to try to make me gentle, and always taught me to be truthful; but she was taken from me in my seventh year. Then my father went into another service, leaving me to be brought up