family, but no more."

"Let us move on; and two of you keep your eye upon that young man," said
the Intendant aside.

They then proceeded through the wood; the Intendant mounted his horse,
and they set off for the cottage, where they arrived at about two
o'clock in the afternoon.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

Humphrey came out as soon as he perceived the Intendant and his party
approaching, and whispered to Edward that all was safe. The Intendant
dismounted, and ordering everybody but his clerk to wait outside, was
ushered into the cottage by Edward. Alice, Edith, and Pablo were in the
room; the two girls were not a little flushed and frightened by the
unusual appearance of so large a body of strangers.

"These are my sisters, sir," said Edward. "Where is Clara, Alice?"

"She is alarmed, and has gone into our bedroom."

"I hope you are not alarmed at my presence," said the Intendant, looking
earnestly at the two girls. "It is my duty which obliges me to pay this
visit; but you have nothing to fear. Now, Edward Armitage, you must
produce all the boxes and packages which you took from the cottage."

"I will, sir," replied Edward, "and here are the keys. Humphrey, do you
and Pablo bring them out."

The boxes were brought out, opened, and examined by the Intendant and
his clerk, but of course no papers were found in them.

"I must now send in two of my people to search the house," said the
Intendant. "Had you not better go to the little girl, that she may not
be frightened?"

"I will go to her," said Alice.

Two of the people, assisted by the clerk, then searched the house; they
found nothing worthy of notice, except the weapons and armour which
Edward had removed, and which he stated to the Intendant that he took
away as valuable property belonging to the little girl.

"It is sufficient," said the Intendant to his clerk--"undoubtedly there
are no papers; but I must, before I go, interrogate this child, who has
been removed thus; but she will be frightened, and I shall obtain no
answer from her if we are so many, so let everybody leave the cottage
while I speak to her."

The clerk and the others left the cottage, and the Intendant desired
Edward to bring Clara from the bedroom. She came out, accompanied by
and indeed clinging to Alice, for she was much alarmed.

"Come here, Clara," said the Intendant gently; "you do not know perhaps
that I am your sincere friend; and now that your father is dead, I wan