“But did Dorothea see any one?” Hal demanded out of the darkness.
It seemed to her that the time had come when she must answer and she could not bring herself to lie deliberately. She hoped that the man she had seen was now far enough away to escape; but, whatever came of the matter, she could not deny that she had seen him if the direct question was put to her. Greatly to her surprise a voice beside her answered the question for her.
“Dorothea may have seen the same face at the window I saw.” Dorothea turned and found beside her the figure of Miss Imogene, who had come into the room so silently that she had not noticed her till that minute.
“Then there was somebody!” cried a strange voice. “Where did he go?”
“Back to the quarters, I reckon,” Miss Imogene answered calmly.
“Back to the quarters!” was the disappointed murmur from below.
“We were singing and the negroes are always attracted by music,” Miss Imogene explained; but at the same moment she put an arm about Dorothea’s waist and drew her close to her. The girl felt instinctively an effort on the part of both Miss Imogene and April to intervene before she was forced to speak. She could not see the reasons for this. She was perplexed and puzzled at such evasion, but it satisfied her to remain silent, though why either of them should wish to shield an escaping Yankee was a mystery.
At that moment one of the great hounds lifted up its head and bayed dismally and in an instant the others, their noses close to the ground, made for the spot and joined in a chorus.
“They’ve found the scent again,” some one cried. “Come on, men. If our bird was here he’s gone on!”
There was a hurried beat of horses’ hoofs as their riders wheeled and started at a gallop behind the dogs.