“Come, you two,” she cried. “We’re waiting dinner. Oh, I see,” she added merrily; “dress. Saxa! Dana! what is the matter? Have you had bad news?”
“Yes, baby dear,” said Saxa solemnly; “very, very bad news.”
“Oh!” cried the girl wildly, as she turned ghastly pale. “News! Tom’s ship?”
She reeled and would have fallen, but Saxa caught her, and kissed her affectionately.
“No, no, little one,” she cried hastily. “It isn’t that.”
“Ah!” gasped Isabel, “I thought— Then you two are in trouble.”
“Yes, dear. Who is with daddy?”
“With papa? Only the nurse.”
“Go and send her away, little one. We must go in and speak to him quite alone.”
“Then it is some great trouble.”