"No, no!" moaned the over-tried girl. "My life is not safe here another night. I insist upon leaving Castle Brand."
Mrs. Chetwode walked to the window and employed herself in opening the shutter.
What she saw when the shutter was opened struck her dumb with surprise for some minutes.
A complete pane of glass had been removed, and set against the balcony railing. A glazier's diamond lay beside it; a chisel was dropped upon the farther end of the balcony; deep foot-prints were in the snow, and a blackened place before the window showed where the midnight watch had been kept.
"Good Lor'!" ejaculated the old woman, "must have been a bold thief."
"It was Colonel Brand!"
Mrs. Chetwode gasped, eyed her suspiciously, backed a few steps, and took hold of the door handle.
"Poor thing!" she whispered to herself.
"Mrs. Chetwode, I told you last night to see that all the doors were locked. Did you?"
"Yes, Miss Margaret, dear! Yes."