"It'd jist worrit the life out of her--and I'd be sorry, too."
"Seen Pharaoh lately?"
"No, Daddy," replied Sally nervously.
"Pharaoh never said anything to you about your brother, did he?"
"No, Daddy Dumbrick, never."
"Ah!" proceeded Seth, getting down the Bible from which he was teaching Sally to read. "If Pharaoh was to come to you in a trance, and was to tell you that Ned Chester was going away, and was never coming back again, it'd be as welcome to me as the best week's work I've ever done in my life."
But Sally was too shrewd to risk her reputation upon a chance so remote, and with reference to this subject she did not introduce Pharaoh into the conversation for many weeks. During this interval, the Duchess behaved herself in a manner which occasioned her guardian and Sally much anxiety. Sally, running home one day, after having been out with the Duchess for two or three hours, rushed down the cellar, and up again, in terror and distress.
"Oh, oh!" she cried beating her hands together. "The Duchess! The Duchess!"
"What about her?" cried Seth, starting up in alarm.
"She's lost--she's lost! she's been kidnapped by the gipsies! I can't find her nowhere."