At that moment the missionary came in.
“Away!” he cried, addressing Clark; “why do you loiter here? your friends are on the move by this time. Away, I tell you! Leave the family to me.”
A scene of confusion followed. Jane Derwent sank fainting in the arms of her sister, and all Mary’s energies were tasked to recover her from that death-like swoon.
“God save her!” cried Edward Clark, pressing a kiss on the forehead of his betrothed, and hastening away.
“Oh!” exclaimed Aunt Polly; “if I only knew where Sim White was!”
“I saw him last at Forty Fort,” replied Clark, rushing past her.
“Then I’m a-goin’ there, too!” she exclaimed. “Here, Grandma Derwent, give me a sun-bonnet, a handkerchief, or somethin’. ’Tain’t no use to spile my best Sunday bonnet.”
“We’ll all go!” cried Mrs. Derwent; “we shall be safe there. Mary, Mary Derwent!”
“What shall we do?” cried Mary, who heard this call from the next room, turning to the missionary—“how must I act? She is quite senseless, and I cannot carry her.”
“Give her to me,” answered the minister. “Go and get something to wrap around her.”