“It was, therefore, with an unmistakable thrill of righteous satisfaction that Edinburgh society saw this ‘mercenary girl’ in so terrible a plight.

“I was immensely interested in the case, and journeyed down to Edinburgh in order to get a good view of the chief actors in the thrilling drama which was about to be unfolded there.

“I succeeded—­I generally do—­in securing one of the front seats among the audience, and was already comfortably installed in my place in court when through the trap door I saw the head of the prisoner emerge.  She was very becomingly dressed in deep black, and, led by two policemen, she took her place in the dock.  Sir James Fenwick shook hands with her very warmly, and I could almost hear him instilling words of comfort into her.

“The trial lasted six clear days, during which time more than forty persons were examined for the prosecution, and as many for the defence.  But the most interesting witnesses were certainly the two doctors, the maid Tremlett, Campbell, the High Street jeweller, and David Graham.

“There was, of course, a great deal of medical evidence to go through.  Poor Lady Donaldson had been found with a silk scarf tied tightly round her neck, her face showing even to the inexperienced eye every symptom of strangulation.

“Then Tremlett, Lady Donaldson’s confidential maid, was called.  Closely examined by Crown Counsel, she gave an account of the ball at Charlotte Square on the 23rd, and the wearing of the jewels by Miss Crawford on that occasion.

“‘I helped Miss Crawford on with the tiara over her hair,’ she said; ’and my lady put the two necklaces round Miss Crawford’s neck herself.  There were also some beautiful brooches, bracelets, and earrings.  At four o’clock in the morning when the ball was over, Miss Crawford brought the jewels back to my lady’s room.  My lady had already gone to bed, and I had put out the electric light, as I was going, too.  There was only one candle left in the room, close to the bed.

“’Miss Crawford took all the jewels off, and asked Lady Donaldson for the key of the safe, so that she might put them away.  My lady gave her the key and said to me, “You can go to bed, Tremlett, you must be dead tired.”  I was glad to go, for I could hardly stand up—­I was so tired.  I said “Good night!” to my lady and also to Miss Crawford, who was busy putting the jewels away.  As I was going out of the room I heard Lady Donaldson saying:  “Have you managed it, my dear?” Miss Crawford said:  “I have put everything away very nicely."’

“In answer to Sir James Fenwick, Tremlett said that Lady Donaldson always carried the key of her jewel safe on a ribbon round her neck, and had done so the whole day preceding her death.

“‘On the night of the 24th,’ she continued, ’Lady Donaldson still seemed rather tired, and went up to her room directly after dinner, and while the family were still sitting in the dining-room.  She made me dress her hair, then she slipped on her dressing-gown and sat in the arm-chair with a book.  She told me that she then felt strangely uncomfortable and nervous, and could not account for it.