350 THE SMUGGLER. 



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comments upon Layton's changed appearance, and discussions 

 of the same questions of doubt and difficulty which had 

 occupied them before. They went slowly, however; and when 

 they reached the house it did not want much more than three 

 quarters of an hour to the usual time of dinner. Sir Robert 

 Croyland they found looking out of the glass-door which com- 

 manded a view towards his brother's house, and his first 

 question was, which way they had returned. Sir Edward 

 Digby gave an easy and unconcerned reply, describing the 

 road they had followed, and comparing it, greatly to its disad- 

 vantage, with that which they had pursued on their former 

 expedition. 



"Then you saw nothing of the carriage, Zara? 5 ' inquired 

 her father^ " It is very strange that Edith has not come back." 



"No; we saw no carriage of any kind, but a carrier's cart 

 replied the young lady. " Perhaps, if Edith did not know you 

 were going to send, she might not be ready." 



This reason, however, did not seem to satisfy Sir Robert 

 Croyland; and after talking with him for a few minutes more 

 as be stood, still gazing forth over the country, Zara and Digby 

 retired to change their dress before dinner, and the latter 

 received a long report from his servant of facts which will be 

 shown hereafter. The man was particularly minute and com- 

 municative, because his master asked him no questions, and 

 suffered him to tell his tale his own way. But that tale fully 

 occupied the time till the second bell rang, and Digby hurried 

 down to dinner. 



Still, Miss Croyland had not returned; and it was evident 

 that Sir Robert Croyland was annoyed and uneasy. All the 

 suavity and cheerfulness of the morning was gone, for one im- 

 portunate source of care and thought will always carry the 

 recollection back to others, and he sat at the dinner table in 

 silence and gloom, only broken by brief intervals of conversa- 

 tion, which he carried on with a laborious effort. 



Just as Mrs. Barbara rose to retire, however, the butler re- 

 entered the room, announcing to Sir Robert Croylaud that Mr. 

 Radford had called, and wished to speak with him. " He 

 would not come in, sir," continued the man, " for he said he 

 wanted to speak with you alone, so I showed him into the 

 library." 



Sir Robert Croyland instantly rose, bat looked with a hesi- 



