Mrs. Perry screamed, and fell fainting into the chair, and with the same Tom Smith picked up Huldah in his arms and made for the door.

The sound of footsteps and bitter cries died away in the lane, and a deep oppressive silence followed.  The kettle sang and boiled and bubbled over, the supper burnt in the pan, the fire died down, and still that senseless form lay huddled up in her chair, her white face turned upwards to the ceiling, as though beseeching help.

Minutes passed before any sign of life came back to her, and with a shuddering sigh she opened her eyes again.  At first she was dazed, and her mind a blank, then the open door, the empty room, the stillness, brought all back to her in a sudden overwhelming rush of sorrow.

For a few moments she sat, weak, white, and trembling, trying to think; then rising stumblingly to her feet she picked up her shawl, and wrapping it over her head and shoulders, she groped her way out of the house, down the garden, and out into the darkness of the night.

Stumbling, tottering, having to pause every few minutes, to rest her shaking limbs and gasp for breath, she made her way up the lane.  She must find Miss Rose.  Miss Rose must know, Miss Rose would help them!  Oh it must come right!  She could not lose her child and Dick.  She could not live without them now!

Tears welled up, and poured down her ashy face, as she thought of those two, and what they might be enduring now.

“Dear Father, protect them!” she prayed.  “Dear Jesus, take care of them!” and all the way she went her pleadings beat at Heaven’s gate for the two poor waifs she so loved.  “Dear Jesus, protect them, and bring them back to me.  I love them so, and they are all I have.”

Her heart laboured so heavily she could scarcely breathe, her head throbbed distractingly, her limbs shook so much under her that she could scarcely drag herself along.  Every now and then she fancied she heard a scream or Huldah’s sobs; then again she thought she heard Dick’s bark, and each time she stopped and listened, and gazed into the darkness, but presently the loneliness and darkness so oppressed her that she could not bring herself to stop again.  All she could do was to stumble onward until the vicarage was reached, and arrived there she sank down on the doorstep exhausted.  The fright and the walk, so long for her, had nearly killed her.

Dinah came quickly to the door, in response to the frightened frantic knock, and as she opened it Martha Perry fell in at her feet, faint and helpless.

“My—­Huldah”—­she panted, “he’s found her; he’s taken her—­away—­and Dick too!  Help me—­to—­” then, as they raised her and carried her into the kitchen, she lost consciousness entirely.

When she opened her eyes again Miss Rose was standing beside her.  “Huldah! where’s my Huldah?” she cried, her poor eyes filling with tears.  “What—­can we do?”