“Sad,” the man repeated bitterly. “Yes, I have enough to make me sad. But help!” he added fiercely. “I don’t need help from you or any one.”
And without another word he turned and strode off into the darkness.
After that it did not take the girls long to reach the road. They felt, someway, as if they must have dreamed their adventure, it had all been so strange and unreal. And yet they knew they had never been more awake in their lives.
“Please don’t talk about it now,” begged Vi when Laura would have discussed it. “Let’s wait till we get in our dorm with lights and everything. I’m just shivering all over.”
For once the others were willing to do as the most timid of the trio wished, and they hurried along in silence till they saw, with hearts full of thankfulness, the lights of Three Towers Hall shine out on the road before them.
“Look, I see the lights!”
“So do I!”
“Thank goodness we haven’t much farther to go.”
“It’s all of a quarter of a mile, Vi.”
“Huh! what’s a quarter of a mile after such a tramp as we have had?” came from Billie.