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With kind regards, yours ever, He folded the note and slipped it into an envelope, which he addressed to "Sidney Carew, Esq., St. Mary Western, Dorset." Then he slipped noiselessly out of the room and upstairs to where Mrs. Strawd had a small sitting-room of her own. The little woman heard his footstep on the old creaking stairs, and opened the door of her room before he reached it.
The door of the room on the ground floor was open, and he could hear the words distinctly enough. "You know, Mrs. Strawd, we have a nephew, but he is always gadding about, I am sure; he has been a terrible affliction to us. A frothy, good-for-nothing boy that is what he is. We have not set eyes on him for a month or more. Why, I almost forget his name!"
He merely went on doing his obvious duty and striving not to look forward too eagerly to a release at some future period. Fortunately, Mrs. Strawd was not long in bringing in the simple evening meal; and the attention of the old ladies was at once turned to the mystery hidden beneath the dish-cover. What was it, and would there be enough for Nephew Vellacott? Deftly, Christian poured out the tea.
Every evening Christian brought the cages, and Aunt Judith and Aunt Hester carefully placed within the wires a small piece of bread-and-butter, which Nurse Strawd as carefully removed, untouched, the next morning. When the birds' wants had been attended to, it was Christian's duty to settle the old ladies comfortably in their respective arm-chairs.
He took the letters from his pocket, and looked at the addresses again. "One is from Trevetz," he said slowly, "and the other from Mrs. Strawd." "Nothing from Mr. Bodery?" asked she indifferently. He had taken a pencil from his pocket, and, turning, he held Trevetz's letter against the wall while he wrote across it. Without ceasing his occupation, and in a casual way, he replied:
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