"It's a pretty baby," Donelle said, and her voice seemed to come from a long distance. Then she got up quickly.
"Where are you going?" asked Katherine Norval.
"I—I don't—— Oh! yes, I'm going to Tom Gavot's."
"Don't you think you better wait here with me until—until Mr. Norval returns? He will speak openly to you then and explain everything."
"No, oh, no, I couldn't!"
A great fear rose in Donelle's eyes.
"My dear, I am very sorry for you!" And Katherine spoke the truth. She was sorry, deeply so, but she was more shocked and indignant than she had ever been in her life before. It was to Norval's credit that she did not believe the worst of him. She concluded that stupidity, rather than viciousness, had led him on to deceive this simple girl without realizing what the actual result would be.
"And so you will not wait with me?" She watched Donelle cross the room. "I am so sorry, child. I wish now that I had come before."
"Good-bye!" Donelle gave her a long, sad look. Then she whistled to Nick and went out, closing the cabin door behind her as one does who leaves a chamber of death.
She walked along slowly, feeling nothing keenly, but noticing with a queer sort of concentration the flickering shadows; there were clouds coming up, it was growing darker. She was glad that she had closed the little house before leaving. If there were a storm all would be safe. Presently she came to Tom Gavot's hut and went in, thankful that it was empty, though she knew Tom would soon be coming.