These men had taken tickets by the train leaving Carlisle
between four and five A.M., and were supposed to have been the two
thieves. It had been nearly seven before the theft had been discovered,
and by that time not only had the men reached the towns named, but had had
time to make their way back again or further on into Scotland. At any
rate, for the present, all trace of them was lost. The sergeant of police
did not doubt but that one of these men was making his way up to London
with the necklace in his pocket. This was told to Lizzie by Lord George;
and though she was awe-struck by the danger of her situation, she
nevertheless did feel some satisfaction in remembering that she and she
only held the key of the mystery. And then as to those poor thieves! What
must have been their consternation when they found, after all the labour
and perils of the night, that the box contained no diamonds--that the
treasure was not there, and that they were nevertheless bound to save
themselves by flight and stratagem from the hands of the police! Lizzie,
as she thought of this, almost pitied the poor thieves. What a
consternation there would be among the Camperdowns and the Garnetts, among
the Mopuses and Benjamins, when the news was heard in London.
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