Sue and Hal were out in the fields and Gilbot had walked down to the sea. The Inn could not be left unattended; suddenly she remembered Red.
The child was playing happily in the garden; he came rather unwillingly when she called him and stood before her, a quaint, bedraggled little figure biting his nails, but he was fond of his sister and listened to her instructions with great attention.
“Red, will ye run along to Nan for me?” she said as calmly as she could.
The child’s face fell but he nodded all the same.
“And will ye tell her this? Now do keep it in your head, Reddy”—she was trembling in her agitation—“tell her this—he wants Anny to go to-morrow and none can stay him.”
She spoke very distinctly, as though she were trying to imprint each word on the child’s mind.
Red screwed up his eyes in a great mental effort.
“He wants Anny to go to-morrow, and none can stay him,” he repeated at last. Then he turned to his sister. “Who wants you, Anny?” he asked curiously.
Anny frowned.
“Oh, go along, dear, go along, hurry!” she almost sobbed.