“And where is your little daughter?” asked Mag, as she scanned them o’er.
“Question your good man, Harry[87], for I’ll venture that he can tell,”
Said Kate, then smiling added, “we must stop lending little Nell.”
Mag, with a playful gesture drew the bed-room screen[88] aside,
“See!” she exclaimed, “she’s not here; now I hope you are satisfied.”
“Come, Maggie, come, don’t trifle, for the hour is growing late;
I know that the child is hiding; would you have us longer wait?”
Thus queried Kate, half pleading, when a look akin to fear
Stole over the face of Harry as he said, “she is not here!”[89]
“Not here! O God[90] protect her!” with a gasp young Roderick cried,