CHAPTER XXI
ENTANGLEMENTS
A week passed and still Nancy guarded the bag, but in that time had neither seen Orilla nor heard from her. The girl’s promise to meet her at the lakeside, on the evening following that upon which she had imposed the trust upon Nancy, had not been kept. Nancy waited until dark, and even a little later than she felt comfortable, out there alone away from everyone, and at a considerable distance from the house; but Orilla did not come.
Nancy imagined many reasons for her failure to appear. Perhaps she had feared detection, as she had the person she suspected of being after her money. Or perhaps her mother was keeping watch. Mrs. Rigney had been around Fernlode almost daily in the past week, and more than once Nancy heard her talking to Margot, as if she were in distress. Orilla’s name was mentioned often, but Nancy knew nothing more than that.
Finally, it was Rosa who broke the spell. She burst in upon Nancy one morning before breakfast.
“Nancy!” she exclaimed, “I’m just worried to death about Orilla. There’s a reason why, but I just can’t explain, if you don’t mind. You’ve been such a dear, I perfectly hate to go at things this way again,” and Rosa’s face bore out that statement. “But if you’ll only trust me this once more—”
“Of course I trust you, Rosa—”
“I knew you would. Then don’t worry about me this morning. I’ve just got to go off and find her—”
“I’ll go with you.”
“If you don’t mind, dear, I’d rather go alone.”
“But I want to go, Rosa. I’m interested in finding her. In fact, I’ve got a reason—”