"
"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 armor
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 every body leave
the cottage while I speak to her.
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