Meantime, no sooner had the lights of the trap disappeared round the bend in the road than Keturah made her way to Nancy and reported the position of affairs. “Run across and ask Hannah to come!” said Nancy. “Aye, t’ cat’s away, is it?” commented Keturah. “However, I’ve no objection, I’m sure. We can do wi’ somebody i’ t’ house ’at has a headpiece on her shoulders!” CHAPTER XX IN WHICH THERE IS A SENSATIONAL ROBBERY BALDWIN woke at the hour custom had made mechanical and lay for a while trying to recollect how he had got to bed. As a matter of fact he had stumbled indoors of his own accord during the evening, and had made his way upstairs without asking for supper; so that when Frank came round there had been no need for his services, and in the relief both experienced neither he nor Keturah had thought of examining the workshop door, which was consequently left unlocked. With her mind eased of this anxiety Keturah had slept soundly and only Nancy knew with what force the wind had swept down from the moor. It had been so strong that she had been compelled to rise before midnight and close her window, after which she fell asleep for an hour or two. When she next woke the panes were covered with snow, and the storm was still raging. By the time Keturah went downstairs the gale had abated but snow was still falling heavily and lay several inches thick upon the roadway. It was not until they were seated together at breakfast that Keturah ventured to deliver herself of Inman’s reminder. Baldwin was morose, but not unusually so, and he merely growled the reply that when he wanted a woman to nurse him he’d let her know, whereupon Keturah subsided, well content to have come off so lightly. Ten minutes later he returned to the shop, and within a quarter-hour staggered home again, his face the colour of ashes. “Robbed!” he gasped as he sank into a chair and let his hands fall to his sides. He was the picture of hopeless despair, and his head sank upon his breast as though every muscle had lost its power to serve. “Robbed!” he groaned again. “T’ safe prised open and every penny ta’en! Every penny! Every penny!” In the moment of his utter wretchedness he forgot to swear, and could only groan; but as Keturah screamed and put her hand to her side he raised his head and looked at her. “Every penny, Keturah!” he groaned, holding out his trembling arms to his sister like a troubled child who seeks the refuge of its mother’s breast. “They’ve robbed me of every penny! Five hunderd golden sovereigns gone—clean gone!” Roused by the shrill scream Nancy came downstairs. The sense of what seemed to Keturah an overwhelming disaster had wiped out all the antipathies of past weeks and dried up tears and reproaches alike, and she was kneeling on the rug with her arm on her brother’s shoulders, crooning into ears that were deaf to all she said, meaningless assurances that all would yet be well.