“It is some distance to Blackville, sir, and the roads are rough and the night is dark,” observed the Captain.
“Well, yes, true,” agreed the old man, subsiding into his chair and into his doze.
Captain Pendleton threw himself into a seat, but had not sat long before the parlor door opened, and his sister appeared at it and called to him in a low voice.
He arose, and went to her.
“Come out into the hall here; I want to speak to you, Clement,” said Miss Pendleton.
He went out.
Then his sister inquired, in a voice full of anxious entreaty:
“Clement, where is Sybil?”
“She went to her room a little more than an hour ago,” answered the brother, giving his sister the same answer that he had given the Judge.
“Clement, I must go to her, and throw my arms around her neck and kiss her. I must not tell her in so many words that I know she is innocent, for to do that would be to affront her almost as much as if I should accuse her of being guilty; for she will rightly enough think that her innocence should not be called into question, but should be taken for granted. So I must not say a word on that subject, but I must find her and embrace her, and make her feel that I know she is innocent. Who is with her?”