Awed, silent, and dazzled by the sudden gas-light, she clung to his

hand, but evidently distinguished no one else; and he placed her close

to the magistrate saying, "This is Mr. Grey, Rose, tell him your name."

And Mr. Grey taking her hand and repeating the question, the clear

little silvery voice answered, "I am Rose Ermine Williams."

"And how old are you, my dear?"

"I was eight on the last of June."

"She knows the nature of an oath?" asked Mr. Grey of the Colonel.

"Certainly, you can soon satisfy yourself of that."

"My dear," then said Mr. Grey, taking her by the hand again, and looking

into the brown intelligent eyes, "I am sure you have been well taught.

Can you tell me what is meant by taking an oath before a magistrate?"

"Yes," said Rose, colour flushing into her face, "it is calling upon

Almighty God to hear one speak the truth." She spoke so low that

she could hardly be heard, and she looked full of startled fear

and distress, turning her face up to Colonel Keith with a terrified

exclamation, "Oh please, why am I here, what am I to say?"

He was sorry for her; but her manifest want of preparation was all in

favour of the cause, and he soothed her by saying, "Only answer just

what you are asked as clearly as you can, and Mr. Grey will soon let

you go. He knows you would try any way to speak the truth, but as he is

going to examine you as a magistrate, he must ask you to take the oath

first."

Rose repeated the oath in her innocent tones, and perhaps their

solemnity or the fatherly gentleness of Mr. Grey reassured her, for her

voice trembled much less when she answered his next inquiry, who her

parents were.

"My mother is dead," she said; "my father is Mr Williams, he is away at

Ekaterinburg."

"Do you remember any time before he was at Ekaterinburg?"

"Oh yes; when we lived at Kensington, and he had the patent glass

works."

"Now, turn round and say if there is any one here whom you know?"

Rose, who had hitherto stood facing Mr. Grey, with her back to the rest

of the room, obeyed, and at once exclaimed, "Aunt Alison," then suddenly

recoiled, and grasped at the Colonel.

"What is it, my dear?"

"It is--it is Mr. Maddox," and with another gasp of fright, "and Maria!

Oh, let me go."

But Mr. Grey put his arm round her, and assured her that no one could

harm her, Colonel Keith let his fingers be very hard pinched, and her

aunt came nearer, all telling her that she had only to make her answers

distinctly; and though still shrinking, she could reply to Mr. Grey's

question whom she meant by Mr. Maddox.




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