THE SMUGGLER. 335 



nounced to his master that the groom had returned from Mr. 

 Croyland's. 



" Where is the note?" demanded his master, eagerly. 



" He has not brought one, Sir Robert," replied the servant, 

 " only a message, sir, to say that Mr. Croyland is very sorry 

 he cannot spare the horses to-day, as they were out a long 

 way yesterday." 



Sir Eobert Croyland started up in a state of fury not at all 

 becoming. He stamped, he even swore. But we have got 

 rid of a great many of the vices of those times ; and swearing 

 was so common at the period I speak of, that it did not even 

 startle Mrs. Barbara. Her efforts, however, to soothe her 

 brother, only served to irritate him the more; and next he 

 swore at her, which did surprise her mightily. 



He then fell into a fit of thought, which ended in his saying 

 aloud, " Yes, that must be the way. It is his business, and 

 so " But Sir Robert did not conclude the sentence, retiring 

 to his own sitting-room, and there writing a letter. 



When he had done, he paused and meditated: his mind 

 rambling over many subjects, though still occupied intensely 

 with only one. "I am a most unfortunate man, 5 ' he thought. 

 <; Nothing since that wretched day has ever gone right with 

 me. Even trifles combine to frustrate everything I attempt. 

 Would I had died many years ago! Poor Edith, poor girl! 

 she must know more sorrow still; and yet it must be done, or 

 I am lost! If that wretched youth had been killed in that 

 affray yesterday, it would have all been over. Was there no 

 bullet that could find him? and yet, perhaps, it might not 

 have had the effect. No, no; there would have been some 

 new kind of demand from that greedy, craving scoundrel. 

 May there not be such even now? Will he give up that fatal 

 paper? He shall! by heaven he shall! But I must send the 

 letter. Sir Edward Digby will think this all very strange. 

 How unfortunate, that it should have happened just when he 

 was here. Would to heaven I had any one to consult with! 

 But I am lone, lone indeed. My wife, my sons, my friends, 

 gone, gone, all gone! It is very sad;" and after having 

 mused for several minutes more, he rang the bell, gave the 

 servant who appeared the letter which he had just written, 

 and directed him to take it over to Mr. RadfortPs as soon as 

 possible. 



