It was nearly lunch time when they entered the little village. Without a stop they came upon the road that led away to the north and followed it to its end. Then, leaving the driver with the car, they set out on foot.
The Howards were silent, thoughtful, and Phyllis, walking beside Brent, felt her heart begin to beat with excitement. They had come so many miles, suppose now they discovered that Brent had been mistaken in his identity? She rebuked herself sharply. How could he have been mistaken? He had heard the Frenchman’s story. But if only Gale would recognize one of them! Phyllis thought she must. She looked up at Brent. He was looking away, ahead of them, his eyes fastened on the little crest of ground beyond which lay the Bouchard cottage. Phyllis thought he looked older, worried. She knew he had suffered even more than she and Gale’s other friends had because, in a way, he blamed himself for the crash and Gale’s disappearance.
Brent held up his hand and they halted for a brief rest.
“You can see the smoke from the cottage,” he said, motioning ahead with his hand to where a thin stream rose into the sky.
The others did not reply, merely glanced at one another and moved forward again.
Chapter XV
LOST
Gale, when Brent had left the cottage, took Toto and went to her room. There she put the dog on the floor and flung herself down on the bed. Propping her chin in cupped hands she could see out the window to the snowy fields in the distance and the blue, cloudless sky. But her eyes were fixed on something outside her vision. She did not watch Brent’s figure as he trudged away out of sight. Rather, she was again trying to bring to the fore some knowledge, the memory that lay dormant, of who she was.
Antoinette entered softly and gazed compassionately down at Gale. She sat down beside her and put a friendly arm across the other’s shoulders.
“Do not worry, Gale,” she murmured.
Gale smiled a trifle. “I’ll try not to,” she whispered. “But suppose he does know who I am? I—I should have gone with him!” Her eyes were dark with shadows, her lips trembled.