She hardly seemed to hear him. Her eyes were fixed in eager, terrified questioning upon Mildred's face.
"Juliet is in her room," the latter hastened to say.
"Thank God for that!" she said in quivering tones. "And he?"
"Is gone, I suppose. No one has seen him, as far as I know."
At that moment one of the men put his head in at the door. "Can't find the rascal, massa; reckon he dun gone cl'ar off de place."
"Quite likely; but as he may return, you are to be on the watch till sunrise," was the reply.
"You didn't meet him?" Mildred asked, drawing near the governess, and speaking in an undertone.
"No; I must have taken the wrong road. Mr. Dinsmore, I owe you an explanation. Shall it be given now?"
The voice was very low, very tremulous, but the sad eyes were lifted unflinchingly to his stern face.