“I meant no harm! I meant no harm!” cried a voice.
“Good God, Joe! What are you doing here?”
“Is it you, Mr. Wayne? I guess I’m crazy, that’s all. I meant no harm. She’ll tell you herself I meant no harm.”
“We’ll see about that. I told you to stay at the house. I’m surprised and disappointed in you. I’ll see you about this to-night. Now go to the car—back there under the shed—and bring it out right away and take us in. And you needn’t try to smash it on the way home; go in by the Red Oak road and take your time.”
Wayne was not more surprised to find that his man Joe had been Jean Morley’s pursuer than by the young fellow’s evident distress, so markedly in contrast to his usual amiable cocksureness. It was no time for inquiry and debate. The snow was already ankle-deep and it was imperative that they start home at once.
Wayne, returning to the club-house, found Jean Morley, sitting by the fire, with Mrs. Craighill ministering to her. She had not yet recovered from her fright; her clothes were wet and her dark hair had shaken loose about her face. Mrs. Craighill appealed to Wayne for an account of what had happened, and her surprise was manifest when Wayne addressed the crumpled refugee quietly by name.
“Mrs. Craighill, this is Miss Morley.” Whereat Mrs. Craighill’s “Oh!” expressed rather more than surprise. “Miss Morley is an acquaintance of mine; we met”—and he smiled at the girl—“at the parish house at Ironstead where she is one of Mr. Paddock’s assistants.”
Jean rose, and aware that an explanation was necessary she offered it immediately, standing forlornly on the hearth.
“I had gone for a walk in the country; I have been in the habit of taking an afternoon once a week, and it was so fine at noon that I ventured on a longer excursion than usual. I took the train to Rosedale Heights, and struck off across the fields. I turned back when it began to snow, but lost my way and it was not till then that I saw that someone had followed me.”
“The man who followed you was my chauffeur; is there any reason why he should be annoying you?” demanded Wayne.