"To have a dying man
believe you false to him would be dreadful! We must find some way
in. Let us go to the kitchen-door."
"If Jemima happened to be near, then, perhaps!" rejoined Mary;
"but if they want to keep me out, you may be sure Mewks has taken
care of one door as well as another. He knows I'm not so easy to
keep out."
"If you did get in," said Joseph, speaking in a whisper as they
went, "would you feel quite safe after this?"
"I have no fear. I dare say they would lock me up somewhere if
they could, before I got to Mr. Redmain's room: once in, they
would not dare touch me."
"I shall not go out of hearing so long as you are in that house,"
said Joseph, with decision. "Not until I have you out again do I
leave the premises. If anything should make you feel
uncomfortable, you cry out, miss, and I'll make a noise at the
door that everybody at Thornwick over there shall hear me."
"It is a large house, Joseph: one might call in many a part of
it, and never be heard out of doors. I don't think you could hear
me from Mr. Redmain's room," said Mary, with a little laugh, for
she was amused as well as pleased at the protection Joseph would
give her; "it is up two flights, and he chose it himself for the
sake of being quiet when he was ill."
As she spoke, they reached the door they sought--the most likely
of all to be still open: it was fast and dark as if it had not
been unbolted for years.
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