“Yes, Father; I looked out o’ the window, an’ saw him go down the path.”
“Which way did he go when he got to the road?” asked her mother, eagerly.
“He—he went off that way,” replied Jennie, faintly, “east.”
“He went east, Father!” exclaimed Mrs. Gaston,—“east toward the mountains, not west toward the river. It will be easier to find him, you know. And he didn’t take the horse; you see he didn’t take Charlie!”
“Wait,” said Mr. Gaston, sternly. “Jennie, tell us the whole story. Do you mean to say that you saw Joe go down the path and out at the gate, and walk away toward the east?”
Half-unconsciously she made a final attempt to save Joe.
“No, Father, he turned around and came back up the path toward the house.”
The mother asked no more questions. She instinctively felt that her worst fears were about to be realized.
“Did he come back into the house?” asked the father, mercilessly.