“Great heavens! the dreadful creature,” exclaimed Miss Campbell, cowering in her seat fearfully.
“Don’t notice him, Cousin Helen,” said Billie over her shoulder. She had started the car and they were speeding along at a rapid rate. “He is insane, of course, and I’m glad we got rid of him so easily.”
“Dear, dear, I hope we won’t meet any more persons like that. He seems to be just a vessel of bitterness, as poor dear grandmamma used to say.”
They rode along silently for some time in the bright sunshine without speaking. At last Elinor and Billie burst out simultaneously, as if they had both been pursuing the identical train of thought and at the same moment had reached an exciting conclusion.
“The man struck by lightning,” they cried.
“Must have been Peter Van Vechten’s chauffeur,” went on Elinor.
“And that was why Peter Van Vechten rushed into the house yesterday in the storm,” pursued Billie.
“Then the poor chauffeur must have been in the house with us all night,” said Mary, shuddering.
“And that was why Mr. Moore was gone so long, and then wouldn’t tell us what was the matter. He was afraid it would frighten us,” added Elinor.
“It’s very strange, but I believe you are right,” observed Miss Campbell, shivering at the thought that there had been death and destruction about her while she slept all unconscious in the big leather chair by the fire.