insidious malady which for so long had been finding ample growth in
her moral and spiritual nature. She did not, however, know that the
purse was Cecile's. The child's agony, and even terror, she put down
with considerable alacrity to an evil conscience. How would it be
possible for all that money to belong to a little creature like Cecile?

Lydia's real thought with regard to the Russia-leather purse was
that it belonged to old Mrs. Bell--that it had been put into the
little tin box, and, unknown to anyone, had got swept away as so much
lumber in the attic. Cecile, poking about, had found it, and had made
up her mind to keep it: hence her distress.

Lydia had really many years ago lost a purse, about which the
servants on the farm had heard her talk. It darted into her head to
claim this purse, full of all its sweet treasure, as her own lost
property. There was foundation to her tale. The servants would have
no reason not to believe her.

Mrs. Bell's heir was turning her out. She would avenge herself in
this way on him. She would keep the money which he might lawfully
claim. Thus she would once more lay by a nest-egg for a rainy day.

Sitting in her own room, the door locked behind her, and counting
the precious money, Lydia had made up her mind to do this. It was so
easy to become a thief--detection would be impossible. Yes; she knew
in her heart of hearts she was stealing, but looking at the
delightful color of the gold--feeling the crisp banknotes--she did
not think it very wrong to steal.

She was in an exultant frame of mind when she went down to supper.