Write to Frank, and make him induce his father to let me off. I
came to see you, my sweet, merciful sister! I knew you would save me. Good
God! What noise is that? There are steps in the yard!"
And before she could speak, he had rushed into the little china closet,
which opened out of the parlor, and crouched down in the darkness. It was
only the man who brought their morning's supply of milk from a neighboring
farm. But when Maggie opened the kitchen door, she saw how the cold, pale
light of a winter's day had filled the air.
"You're late with your shutters to-day, miss," said the man. "I hope Nancy
has not been giving you all a bad night. Says I to Thomas, who came with me
to the gate, 'It's many a year since I saw them parlor shutters barred up
at half-past eight.'"
Maggie went, as soon as he was gone, and opened all the low windows, in
order that they might look as usual. She wondered at her own outward
composure, while she felt so dead and sick at heart. Her mother would
soon get up; must she be told? Edward spoke to her now and then from his
hiding-place. He dared not go back into the kitchen, into which the few
neighbors they had were apt to come, on their morning's way to Combehurst,
to ask if they could do any errands there for Mrs. Browne or Nancy. Perhaps
a quarter of an hour or so had elapsed since the first alarm, when, as
Maggie was trying to light the parlor fire, in order that the doctor, when
he came, might find all as usual, she heard the click of the garden gate,
and a man's step coming along the walk.
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