They were very near the avenue, and they saw an uptown car coming toward the crossing.
Mr. Merritt raised his stick and his voice to hail and stop it. Then he took a hurried leave of the young man, seized the child, and put her on the car while she was still saying to her friend:
“Oh! good-by! good-by! good-by! I am so sorry you are not going with us!”
He raised his hat and smiled as the car ran away with them.
Then he turned his steps in the opposite direction and walked hurriedly to the railway station, arriving there just in time to catch his train.
CHAPTER XXVII
ROMA AT WORK
After the abduction of Owlet and the departure of Mr. Merritt the life of the lady of Goblin Hall was very lonely.
Only one constant visitor cheered her solitude. That was her aged pastor, Dr. Shaw.
When Roma was inclined to grieve for her lost pet, and cherish gloomy forebodings for the child’s future, Dr. Shaw would always reassure her.
One morning, when he was making a call, she said to him: