He was placed in
the house of a diamond merchant, to whom the thieves were in the
habit of consigning jewels; and this might well have turned out fatal
to him, for to the same house came my elder apprentice and one of the
men captured with him--a notorious ruffian--who had been rescued from
the constables by a gang of their fellows, in open daylight, in the
City. These, doubtless, would have compassed his death had he not
happily seen them enter the house, and made his escape, taking
passage in a coaster bound for Dunkirk, from which place he took
another ship to England. Thus you see, my Lord, that I am indebted to
him for saving me from a further loss that might well have ruined
me."
He paused, and glanced at Nellie, who rose at once, saying to the
Earl,--
"I trust that your Lordship will excuse my mother and myself. My
father has more to tell you; at least, I should wish him to do so."
Then, taking her mother's hand, she curtsied deeply, and they left
the room together.
"Such, my Lord, as I have told you, is the service, so far as I knew
till this afternoon, Sir Cyril Shenstone has rendered me. That was no
small thing, but it is very little to what I know now that I am
indebted to him. After he went out I was speaking with my wife on
money matters, desiring much to be of assistance to him in the matter
of the expedition on which he is going. Suddenly my daughter burst
into tears and left the room. I naturally bade my wife follow her and
learn what ailed her.
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