"Some enemy who wanted to get her away from the house—Dan
Baxter or—" Dick paused.
"Or who?"
"Well, Josiah Crabtree, if you must know. He hates her and he wants to separate her from you."
At the mention of Josiah Crabtree's name a curious shiver passed over Mrs. Stanhope. "We—we'll not talk about Mr. Crabtree," she faltered. "But, oh, I must have my Dora back!" And then she came near to fainting again.
"I would like to go over to the Stanhope cottage and investigate," said Dick, after the lady had been placed in Mrs. Green's care. "To my mind it won't do to lose time, either."
"You can go, Richard," answered Captain Putnam. "But be careful and keep out of trouble."
"Can I take Tom and Sam with me?"
At this the master of Putnam Hall smiled broadly. "Always like to be together, eh? All right, I don't know but what it will be safer for the three of you to go together," he said; and Dick lost no time in telling his brothers. In a few minutes the trio set off for the Stanhope cottage, little dreaming of the long time that was to elapse before they should see Putnam Hall again.