Where is the woman that cannot act a part? Where is she who will not do it, and do it well, to save the man she loves? Nature on these great occasions comes to the aid of the simplest of the sex, and teaches her to throw dust in Solomon's eyes. The men had no sooner retired¹ than Margaret stepped out of bed, and opened the long chest on which she had been lying down in her skirt and petticoat and stockings, and nightdress over all; and put the lid, bed-clothes and all, against the wall: then glided² to the door and listened. The footsteps died away through her father's room and down the stairs.  
Now in that chest there was a peculiarity³ that it was almost impossible for a stranger to detect. A part of the boarding of the room had been broken, and Gerard being applied⁴ to to make it look neater, and being short of materials, had ingeniously sawed away a space sufficient just to admit Margaret's soi-disant bed, and with the materials thus acquired he had repaired the whole room. As for the bed or chest, it really rested on the rafters a foot below the boards. Consequently it was full two feet deep, though it looked scarce one.
 
All was quiet. Margaret kneeled and gave thanks to Heaven. Then she glided from the door and leaned over the chest, and whispered tenderly, “Gerard!”
 
Gerard did not reply.
 
She then whispered a little louder, “Gerard, all is safe, thank Heaven! You may rise; but oh! be cautious!”
 
Gerard made no reply.
 
She laid her hand upon his shoulder—“Gerard!”
 
No reply.
 
“Oh, what is this?” she cried, and her hands ran wildly over his face and his bosom⁵. She took him by the shoulders; she shook him; she lifted him; but he escaped from her trembling hands, and fell back, not like a man, but like a body. A great dread⁶ fell on her. The lid had been down. She had lain upon it. The men had been some time in the room. With all the strength of frenzy⁷ she tore him out of the chest. She bore him in her arms to the window. She dashed the window open. The sweet air came in. She laid him in it and in the moonlight. His face was the colour of ashes; his body was all limp and motionless. She felt his heart. Horror! it was as still as the rest! Horror of horrors! she had

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