Of all her life’s dreams what she dreamed when she breathed again seemed the strangest. But it was all broken up like pieces of stars mashed into flashes of dazzling light, and there was no more head nor tail to it. All she could think of was how tired she was, and she knew she just had to sleep.
If spiders had any talent for observing, those in that cubby hole would have had a wonderful story to tell to the crawling things in roof and rafters, but even they did not so much as try, with a web, to arouse the half-conscious child, and one lacy net was so near Nora’s face her gasps of breath swayed and rocked the baby spider in its cradle.
So there she was asleep now, and glad not to know!
Downstairs supper had been prepared and everyone was waiting for Nora.
Who had seen her? Where had she spent the afternoon?
“Vita,” said Jerry sharply, “you know you were not to let the child go off these grounds alone.”
“I no see her, never. She no come out from the house,” protested the frightened Vita.
“Well, we have got to search,” decided Ted, her bronzed face plainly showing alarm, and her brown eyes blinking with unnamed fears.
“Where has Cap been?” again demanded Jerry. “He should have been with her.”
“He went with the Scouts; they asked for him, and of course, I let him go as usual. I did not know Nora was going out, in fact, I thought she was going to write to her school mates,” replied Ted. “But don’t let us waste time. I’ll take the north way, Vita you go by the Ledge, and Jerry, I suppose you will jump on a horse and scout every way.”