ese entries.
There is much to be set in order before they would be ready for the
honour of your lordship's inspection.'

'I particularly wish to have them at once. You give me authority to
act for you, Miss Ponsonby?' he added, looking at her, as she stood
holding by the table, as one half awake.

'Oh! yes, I put the whole into your hands,' she answered, mechanically,
obeying his eye.

'Allow me, my Lord,' said Robson, as Fitzjocelyn laid the firm hand of
detention on the heavy ledgers, and great leathern pocket-book.

'Yes; we had better know exactly what you leave in my charge, Mr.
Robson,' said Louis, beginning to suspect that the clerk fancied that
the weight and number of the books and bundles of bills might satisfy
his unpractised eye, and that the essential was to be found in the
pocket-book, on which he therefore retained a special hold; asking, as
Robson held out his hand for it, 'is this private property?'

'Why, yes; no, it is and it is not,' said Robson, looking at the lady,
as though to judge whether she were attending. 'I only brought it here
that Miss Ponsonby might have before her--always a satisfaction to a
lady, you know, sir--though Miss Ponsonby's superior talents for
business quite enable her to comprehend. But our affairs are not what
I could wish. The Equatorial bubble was most unfortunate, and that
unfortunate young man, who has absconded after a long course of
embezzlement, has carried off much valuable property. I was laying the
case before Miss Ponsonby, and showing her what amount had been
fortunately secured.'

'What is in the pocket-book?' asked Louis of Mary; and, though she was
apparently conscious of nothing around her, he obtained a direct reply.

'The vouchers for the shares.'

'In the Equatorial. Unlucky speculation--so much waste paper,'
interrupted Robson. 'Your lordship had better let me clear away the
trash, which will only complicate the matter, and distract your
understanding.'

'Thank you; as you say there has been fraud, I should be better
satisfied to be able to tell Mr. Dynevor that the papers have never
been out of my hands. I will call on you early to-morrow.'

Mr. Robson waited to make many inquiries for Mr. Dynevor's health, and
to offer every attention to Lord Fitzjocelyn, to introduce him to the
Consul, to find apartments for him, &c.; but at last he took leave, and
Louis was free to turn to the motionless Mary, who had done nothing all
this time b