"'The old creature has grown weary of waiting, I suppose, and has gone down to her supper," she said to herself. And she sat waiting patiently for some time before she rang her bell.
Sally answered it.
"Go down, Sally, and tell Katie that I am here and ready to see her now," said Lady Vincent.
Sally went on this errand, but soon returned and said:
"If you please, ma'am, Aunt Katie aint nowhere downstairs. I s'pects she's done gone to bed."
Claudia suddenly looked up to the ormolu clock that stood upon the mantel shelf.
"Why, yes!" she said, "it is nearly eleven o'clock. I had no idea that it was so late. Of course she has gone to bed."
"Mus' I go call her up, ma'am?"
"No, Sally; certainly not. But there was something that she said she had to tell me. Something, I fancy, it was, about the murder of that poor girl. Has anything new been discovered in relation to that affair, do you know?"
"No, ma'am, not as I has hearn. 'Deed it was only jes now we was all a-talking about it in de servants' hall, and Mr. Frisbie he was a-mentioning how misteerious it was, as we could hear nothing. And jes then your bell rung, ma'am, and I came away."