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Rh been called, burst into the room, saying, "Missus will be here presently; she has sent me on before her."

Starting from his sorrowful recumbent posture, De Brooke turned, and beheld Robert. Seared as was his heart at that moment towards the Baronet, it expanded with more than usual warmth towards his faithful servant; it had need to disburthen itself, and he thought also, that through the skill and address of Robert, some light might be thrown upon the affair, which without his help might be for ever involved in mystery. He considered him also a sharer in his calamity, to whom he owed more than a year's wages, and still he should be obliged to postpone paying him, wrested from him as was now the power of doing so.

Having first carefully bound Robert to secrecy, De Brooke hasted to reveal confidentially to him the great misfortune he had sustained in the loss of the money, which previous to the coming of the Baronet was still safe in his possession. The honest indignation of the black broke at intervals from his lips; concise and few were his words, but of a nature to prove how deeply he felt the injury done his master. Anger and resentment in their most formidable aspect flamed from his eyes, which had the Baronet been present, might