She stopped, her heart beating like a trip-hammer, and stepped behind a tree, hoping he had not observed her, and would pass on without noticing her.
Vain hope! The figure quickened his steps, coming directly toward the spot where she stood.
What to do she knew not.
If she attempted to fly he could easily overtake her. If she remained where she was, and harm came to her, no one could hear her cries and come to her aid.
She felt that her strength was failing, the strain had been so great upon her nerves during the last twelve hours that she knew she could not endure much more; but she resolved to meet this new danger as bravely as possible, and, stepping forth from her hiding-place, she went forward with dizzy brain and bated breath.
Another moment and she found herself face to face with her lover, Adrian Dredmond!
CHAPTER XXXIV
CONSTERNATION OF THE COOLIDGES
During all those hours so full of adventure to Brownie, Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel had been sleeping heavily, for both had been well-nigh overcome with the excitement of the evening previous, and a sense of their own guilt in the matter of the young companion’s disappearance.
They did not wake until quite late the next morning, when Mrs. Coolidge’s first act was to order a good hot breakfast, telling the servant that she did not feel able to go down to eat with the family.
As soon as the servant departed, and she was assured that the guests were all assembled in the dining-room, she crept into Isabel’s room, and together they sought their prisoner.