"No!" shouted the squire, springing from his seat, as if some one had speared him. "Lord bless me! where can she have gone?"
"Ah, Squire Erliston, you do not think anything has happened to the dear child, do you?" said Mrs. Gower, clasping her hands.
"Fiddle-de-dee, woman, of course not. She's gone back to Deep Dale, I'll lay a wager. Oh, here comes young Rivers, now we'll know."
"Archie, my dear," said Mrs. Gower, as that young gentleman entered the room, "did Gipsy go back to Deep Dale last night?"
"Go back! Why, of course she didn't."
"Oh, Squire Erliston, you hear that. Oh, where can that crazy creature have gone?" exclaimed Mrs. Gower, twisting her fingers in distress.
"Why, what's wrong? Where is Gipsy?" asked Archie, in surprise.
"Oh, I don't know. She came home late last night, and must have gone away somewhere, for she never went to bed at all. Oh, I am sure she has been killed, or drowned, or shot, or something! I always knew it would happen," and Mrs. Gower fairly began to cry.
"Knew what would happen?" said Archie, perplexed and alarmed.
"Something or other. I always said it; and now my words have come true," replied Mrs. Gower sobbing.