Daisy next picked the jewel-case to pieces, and threw the minute shreds into the street. This was scarcely done, when the door-bell rang impatiently.
The girl peeped from the window.
The two men at the door-step were not to be mistaken. Daisy's fingers trembled as she undid the fastenings of the door.
"We have orders to search this house, miss," said one of the officers, touching the vizor of his cap respectfully.
Daisy choked down a sob, and led them with an unnatural calmness from room to room.
Every place in the little house was investigated, but in vain; no necklace was to be found. Yet twice the breath of one of the searchers fell on the pearls in Daisy's hair. The two officers left the house in evident chagrin.
When they had gone, the girl sat on the stairs and sobbed.
Happily for her wishes, Mrs. Snarle had been absent during the search; and thus far had been kept in ignorance of Mortimer's disgrace. But Daisy could not hope to keep it a secret from her long, for they both would probably be summoned as witnesses in open court. The thought of giving evidence against Mortimer went through Daisy's heart like an intense pain. It terrified her, and her warm little heart was floating on tears all day.
The cloud which had fallen on her seemed to have no silver lining; all was cold, black and sunless. But there is no mortal wound to which some unseen angel does not bring a balm—
"There are gains for all our losses!"