To Dorothea there was but one explanation of this sudden appearance of April’s. She must have heard that Lee Hendon was hiding in the neighborhood. She wondered what excuse her beautiful cousin would make.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” April remarked. “I thought you were driving with Harry.”
“We have a wager on whether the horse can beat me home,” Dorothea answered, but at the moment she said it there came a crash in the bushes as if some one had fallen, in tripping over a log.
April’s keen glance went to Dorothea’s face and read there something of the confusion the younger girl felt. They stood in silence, awaiting a repetition of the strange noise, but there was no further sound.
“That was a rather curious commotion for these woods,” April said significantly.
“Are there deer about here?” Dorothea asked, quite calm now and returning her cousin’s look quietly. “Or bears? I didn’t know there were any large animals in this part of the country. But how comes it, April, that you are not with Hal?”
“Mother is there,” the girl answered. “She is better and wished me to get out into the air for a little while. I want something from Aunt Cora, and was on my way there.”
Dorothea nodded as if she understood. She did not dare to speak for fear of betraying the skepticism she felt at this explanation of April’s presence in the woods.
“I must hurry on,” she said, taking a step forward, “or Harriot will be coming to find me. Hope you have a nice walk.” And off she ran, leaving her cousin gazing after her for a moment or two.
“It was a blue uniform I saw, after all!” April said to herself as she walked on again.