“It will be rather a long lonely journey back, won’t it?”
“For the horse, you mean?” said Nellie. “Well, to tell the truth I don’t exactly know how the horse is going to get back and I don’t much care.”
“Nellie,” said Vickers, and he laid his hand on her shoulder with a gesture that was almost paternal. “I can’t let you do this. You have no idea what a life it would be,—what it would mean to be the wife of a man who——”
“I shall know very soon,” returned she irrepressibly. “But I have some idea what a life it would be to be left behind, and so I am afraid you must put this newly-found prudence of yours in your pocket, and make up your mind——”
But she did not finish a sentence whose end was fairly obvious, for the door was thrown open in Plimpton’s best manner, and Emmons entered. He stopped on seeing Vickers, and stared at him with round eyes.
“You!” he cried. “This is the last place I should have thought of looking for you.”
“But does not a meeting like this make amends—” Vickers began lightly, but Nellie struck a better note with her cool: “I should think this would have been the most natural place to look. Tea, James?”
“No, thank you,” replied Emmons sternly. “I’ve no time for tea just now. I parted from the sheriff not ten minutes ago, and I must go and find him at once.”
“Sorry you won’t stay and have a chat,” said Vickers. “But doubtless you know best.”
“You’ll find out what I know within half an hour,” said Emmons, and left the room, slamming the door behind him.