"You ought to, I think," said Violet. "Doctors certainly need rest as much, or more, than most other people."
"Yes, they do, indeed!" said the captain; "they are, as a rule, very much overworked, I think."
"Some of them hardly so much as they might like to be," laughed Herbert. "You will be coming home soon, mother?" turning to her.
"Yes; probably to-morrow," she answered.
He chatted a little longer, then drove away. The young people presently went off into the grounds, leaving Grandma Elsie, Violet, and the captain still sitting in the veranda, they busied with their fancy work, he looking over the morning paper.
"If you find anything very interesting, my dear, mamma and I will be glad to hear it," said Violet.
"Yes," he said, "and here is something interesting, though far from being pleasant news. Davis, one of the burglars whom Lucilla caught, has escaped from prison; gone no one knows where, and may be even now lurking in this neighbourhood. I must watch over my daughter or he may attempt to do her some harm. At the time of the trial he seemed to feel very revengeful toward her."
"Oh, that is dreadful!" cried Violet. "Indeed we must be watchful over poor dear Lu. You will not tell her, Levis?"
"I think I shall," he said reflectively; "she will need to be careful about venturing to a distance from the house, even within the grounds, without a protector; therefore I must warn her and forbid her to run any unnecessary risk. I hope it may not be long before the fellow will be caught and returned to his prison."
"And I think it might be well for us to hasten our departure for the North for her safety," said Violet. "She would be safer there, would she not?"