“Then, in that case, he would have gone in his night clothes, just as he jumped out of bed; but here are the empty shelves and pegs, with every article of his wearing apparel gone,” said Longman, coming out of the closet which he had been examining. “And why should he take pains to lock and bolt the door, and put out the light so as to retard the discovery of his flight as long as possible?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Lunatics are well known to be very cunning. But, Longman, he must be instantly followed and found, if possible. Oh, heavens! Think of the man being out on such a night as this! He will surely perish,” said the rector. And he hurriedly unfastened the door, rushed out into the passage, took his storm cloak from the rack and his hat from its peg, and while he nervously prepared himself to brave the tempest he called out again to the hunter:
“Longman! For Heaven’s sake get on your coat and find a lantern and come with me. There is no one but you and me to go in search of this wretched man, whom we must not leave to perish in the snow.”
Almost as soon as the rector had ceased to speak, Longman was by his side, prepared for the expedition.
“He must have escaped by that back window, which is the only one that will close with springs. We must search the road leading for the back gate of the garden. Come,” said the rector, going before with the lighted lantern, which he had taken from the hand of Longman.
They issued through the rear door, passed through the garden and out of the rear gate.
Holding the lantern near the ground the rector moved slowly and carefully through the white chaos.
The searchers had not groped many yards from the rectory gate when Mr. Campbell saw something black upon the white ground.
He stooped to examine it, and cried out:
“Here he is, Longman; but whether dear or alive, poor wretch, I do not know. Come and help me to lift him.”