'Will you do it? I wish it. Will you go and ask her I will give the girl money.'
'If you are so determined, of course I will ask her. But I'm sure—'
At length she left the room, to go out of the house by the back-door and call at the neighbours'. Scarcely was she away, when Emily darted upstairs, and in an instant was down again, with her hat and a cloak; another moment, and she was out in the road. She did not forget the terror her mother would suffer, on finding her gone; but endurance had reached its limit. It was growing dark. After one look in the direction of Dunfield, she took the opposite way, and ran towards the Heath, ran till her breath failed and she had to drop into a quick walk. Once more she was going to the Upper Heath, and to the house which was the source of all her misery. When she reached the quarry it was quite dark at her approach she saw the shape of a man move away into the shadow of the quarried rock, and an unreasoning fear spurred her past the spot. Five minutes more and she was at Dagworthy's gate. She rang the door-bell.
The servant told her that Mr. Dagworthy was at home; she declined to give her name, but said she must see him at once. Speedily she was led into a room, where her enemy sat alone.
He looked at her wonderingly, then with a deep flush—for now he surely had gained his end,—he advanced towards her without speaking.
'Where is my father?' she asked; the voice which disabused him did not seem Emily's.
'Isn't he at home?'
'He has not come home. What have you done?'
'Not come home?'
'Then he is free? He is safe—my father? You have spared him?'