"Come, both of you," he said; "it is time to be off."
"This must be our real good-by, little one." Captain Southorn glanced about them, and then put his arm around Dorothy. "We shall both be leaving shortly, and I cannot say good-by properly with a lot of other folk about. Ah," with a shudder, and holding her up to his breast, "when I think of what might have happened, had not your friend Hugh come upon the scene, it makes it all the harder for me to let you go again."
"But there is no danger now," she said courageously; "the man is a prisoner. But whatever could have put such a crazy idea into his head?" she asked indignantly.
"Did you never see him before?" her husband inquired.
"Yes, at the Gray Horse Inn;" but her brother's voice, now calling rather impatiently, cut short her story.
"And will you come when I send word?" Captain Southorn asked.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Well, thank God it will be but a few days until then," he said, giving her a parting kiss. "So for now, my wife,—my own little wife, adieu!"
As they were taking their way to the house, Jack looked at his watch and scowled a little as he saw the lateness of the hour. Then he turned to Dorothy, and inquired, as her husband had done, in regard to her knowledge of Farmer Gilbert.
She told of all that Mary and herself had seen of him at the inn; and her brother's quick perceptions put the facts together while he listened.