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"I have long believed that the ht the uncertainty would be bad for Ermine What is all

this?"

"You will hear There! Listen, I can't tell you; Lady Te to draay her aroverness But he felt her tre, and did not release her

froroup, to which,

while these feords were passing, Francis, the little bareheaded

white-aproned Mary Morris, and lastly Lady Temple, had by this time been

added; and Fanny, with quick but courteous acknowledg out her cousin

"Oh, Rachel, dear, I did not mean it to have been so sudden or before

theentle,

i voice, "if you only saw that poor dear child's neck"

Rachel had little choice what she should say or do What Fanny

was saying tenderly and privately, the two boys were co

open-mouthed, and Mrs Curtis came at once with her nervous, "What is

it,very sad? Those poor children look very

cold, and half starved"

"Indeed," said Fanny, "they have been starved, and beaten, and cruelly

used I am very sorry, Rachel, but indeed that was a dreadful woht Colonel Keith and Mr Grey would tell us what ought to be