That a second inquiry as to Marguérite's whereabouts should be necessary seemed to surprise him.
"You were looking for Miss Garth a few minutes ago. Didn't you find her?" he inquired.
"No, sir. She's not in the house."
"But what can have become of her?"
"I thought, sir, she might ha' gone into t' village."
"Why?"
"She knows everybody i' t' place. She said last night that now she was makin' a bit of a stay she'd be seein' some o' t' folk."
"I think I should have noticed her if she had gone out by the gate," he said, weighing the point. "Smith!" he called, "has Miss Meg left the house recently—within the past ten minutes, I mean?"
"Not that I know of, sir," said Smith; "but I'm that worritted by the state of some o' these here beds that ammost owt (almost anything) might ha' happened without me givin' it heed."
"Bang that gong at the front door," said Armathwaite to Betty. "It should be heard in every house in Elmdale, and she will understand."