“Yes’m, a little; but I was afraid and didn’t stay but a minute. I came up to phone the police.”
“Dear me! What did the poor creature say?”
“She said her baby was drowned. I’m pretty sure she called it Dorothy.”
An agonizing shriek of “Constance!” broke from the three women simultaneously, and horror and consternation was depicted on every countenance.
“Almighty Heaven!” exclaimed Virginia, whose face had blanched at the news. “She has followed me here. I’ll get some wraps, for poor Constance must be chilled through and through,” and with that she hastened into the house.
“Virginia, dear!” Mrs. Harris called after her, “you will find wraps in my room.”
Hazel had already started toward the river, and noting the girl’s impatience, she went on: “Hazel and I will not wait for you.”
As Mrs. Harris followed after Hazel, she kept muttering: “Dear me! What a shock! What a shock to one’s nerves!”
CHAPTER XXII.
The officers, with their prisoners, had reached the railway track, and were leisurely walking toward the little station when a commotion in a group of people on the shingle, a couple of hundred yards ahead, attracted their attention. Smith, who had accompanied the officers, started to investigate. He had proceeded but a short distance when his movement was accelerated by seeing Mr. Harris and Sam hastening down the slope toward the little group before mentioned.