“You won’t tell anybody, will you, please? Please don’t.... There’s a reason why.”

“Tell me the reason.”

“I couldn’t now, not now. But I have to live with Lafe Grandoken quite a long time yet.”

“You ran away from your home?”

“Yes.”

“Your father died the same night you came away.”

“Yes, and—please, what happened after I left?”

“Oh, he was buried, and the house is empty.”

Molly forebore to mention Jordan Morse, and Jinnie’s tongue refused to utter the terrifying name.

Presently the girl, with tears in her eyes, said softly: 166