Chapter Twenty Nine.
From Darkness to Light.
Late on that same evening Rover at the old Rectory thought it expedient to raise his voice in the extreme of exasperation and anger. A stranger of the sort that ought not to be seen about the Rectory gardens was daring to approach the back-door right through Rover’s special territory. Luckily for the red-haired giant, Rover could not get at him beyond the limit of his chain. The giant knocked at the back-door, and presently a timid-looking woman, who had been called in to help to nurse Mrs Shelf, opened the door about an inch.
“Now what is up?” she said. “You get out of this; you are a stranger here, and we don’t want parties of your sort about.”
“I ha’ come,” said Sam, “with a message from one as calls herself Annie.”
Mrs Shelf was still lying on the sofa in the kitchen. She was feeling far too weak and shaky to rise; but at the name strength seemed to come into her like magic. She tottered off her sofa and approached the door.
“Whoever you are, come right in,” she said.
Sam entered and stood gloomily leaning up against the dresser.
“What is your message?” said Mrs Shelf. “Do tell me quickly! Do you know where Annie Brooke is?”
“In the Great Northern Hospital,” said Sam Freeman, “where I left her this mornin’. She said I was to come here and say—that her sin had found her out. She guv me five pounds to come and give the message. It’s a sight too much money. I tuk a third-class ticket down, and ’ere’s the change.” He put three sovereigns and a pile of silver on the table. “I tuk a return ticket,” he said. “I’ll be off, arter givin’ my message.”