"
"Indeed? At what time was that?" exclaimed my Lady.
"Some time in the afternoon of Sunday!"
"Ah! then I must have left Bowstead. I was pledged to her Majesty's
card-table, and royal commands cannot be disregarded, so I had to go
away in grievous anxiety for my poor boy. She meant to return to
Bowstead, did she? Ah. Does not an idea strike you that old Amyas
Belamour may know more than he confesses! He has been playing a
double game throughout."
"He is as anxious to find the dear girl as we are madam."
"So he may seem to you and to my poor infatuated boy, but you see
those crazed persons are full of strange devices and secrets, as
indeed we have already experienced. I see what you would say; he
may appear sane and plausible enough to a stranger, but to those
who have known him ever since his misfortunes, the truth is but
too plain. He was harmless enough as long as he was content to
remain secluded in his dark chamber, but now that I hear he has
broken loose, Heaven knows what mischief he may do. My dear cousin
Delavie, you are the prop left to me in these troubles, with my
poor good man in the hands of those cruel pirates, who may be
making him work in chains for all I know," and the tears came
into her beautiful eyes.
"They will not do that," said Major Delavie, eager to reassure her;
"I have heard enough of their tricks to know that they keep such game
as he most carefully till they can get a ransom.
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