Nettie’s drawl made Helen laugh. But Ruth was proud of her. The Southern girl had forgotten to be afraid herself while she comforted her little servant.
There was nothing one could do but speak a comforting word now and then. Ruth was glad that Helen took the matter so cheerfully. For, really, as the girl of the Red Mill saw it, there was not yet any reason for being particularly worried.
“In time of peace prepare for war, however,” she said to the other girls. “We may have to leave the hotel in a hurry. Let us go upstairs to the rooms we were to occupy, and pack our bags again, and bring them down here with us. Then if they say we must leave, we shall be ready.”
“But how can we leave?” demanded Helen. “By boat?”
“Maybe. Goodness! if we only had a boat we could get back across the river and walk to the Big House.”
“Oh! I wish we were there now,” murmured Nettie.
“I wish you had your wish!” exclaimed Helen. “But we’ll do as Ruth says. Maybe we’ll get a chance to leave the place.”
For Helen had been quite as much disturbed by the appearance of Miss Miggs as Ruth had been. She, too, saw that the woman’s accusation had made an impression upon the mind of her cousin, Mrs. Holloway.
“I hope we get out before there is trouble over that horrid woman’s ticket. Who would have expected to meet her here?” said Helen to her chum.
“No more than we expected to meet Curly at Merredith,” Ruth returned.