Then another fear seized her. She had not seen the little one for weeks.
Was it ill? Had anything happened to it? She could not visit Mrs. Lester's home until the day broke.
How came her little child in the possession of Royal Ainsley?
The suspense which she endured almost drove her insane. The next morning she was up as early as the servants were.
"Joe," she said to the old coachman, "I want you to harness up the swiftest horses you have in the stable, and take me to the village. I want to go to the store kept by the Lesters."
"You will not find it open so early in the mornin', ma'am," declared Joe. "Dem village folk am pow'ful lazy."
"We will go to their garden, and perhaps be fortunate enough to find them there," said Ida, eagerly. "Harness the horses at once, Joe."
The hapless young mother scarcely breathed during that ride.
After what seemed to her almost an endless ride, they drew up before the village store kept by the Lesters.
As Joe had predicted, the door was closed, and the blinds drawn.