“And I was on guard in the hallway,” put in the policeman.  “She didn’t pass me, that I’ll swear to.”

“I was only gone a few minutes,” said the nurse.  “And I am sure she did not go through the kitchen.”

“How long ago was this?” asked Tom Ostrello.

“Only a few minutes ago.  Oh, we must find her,” answered Raymond.  “If she wanders off in her present state of mind there is no telling what will happen to her.”

The four scattered, and a vigorous search was instituted for the missing girl.  Soon the news spread and the chief of police came hurrying to the scene.

“Collins, you are responsible for this escape,” said he sternly to the policeman.

“I did the best I could, sir,” was the nervous answer.  “She was that sick, sir, I didn’t think she could get out of bed, much less walk off.”

“Perhaps she is hiding in the house.”

The building was searched from cellar to garret, and so were several other buildings in that vicinity, but without avail.  Then the gathering crowd scattered through the woods and along the river.

“I don’t believe she was as sick as they pretended,” said one of the number.  “This is only a bluff to let her get away.  I said all along she was a sly one.”

“Perhaps she pulled the wool over the doctor’s eyes,” came from another.  “And over the eyes of that young fellow who’s in love with her, too.”

Raymond heard some of these remarks and they made his face burn.  He longed to knock some of the speakers down, but held his temper in check as best he could.  He realized that no argument he might advance would make an impression where opinions were so set.

Tom Ostrello joined in the search as diligently as the rest, and he and Raymond ran through the woods from end to end several times.  Then they procured a boat and rowed up and down the river, and crossed over to the other side.

“She could not have gone far,” said Raymond.  “Her strength was not equal to it.”

It was dark by the time they came back to the river, to cross to the town side.  As they rowed along, slowly and silently, Tom Ostrello noticed something floating on the water.  He steered toward the object and picked it up.  It was a girl’s summer hat.

“Margaret’s hat!” cried Raymond.  He dropped his oar and his face turned as white as death.  “I know the truth now!  She has drowned herself in the river!”

CHAPTER XXIV

ONE AGAINST MANY

Surrounded by his enemies, Adam Adams stood in the center of the stone room under the old mill, speculating upon what was to happen next.  He saw that the men were thoroughly aroused and ready for any crime.  Although all were masked by the hoods over their heads, each showed his rage and temper by his movements and his tone of voice.

“Well, now you are in our power, what have you to say for yourself?” came from Matlock Styles, after a pause.