Mary did not put them to bed, one of the other servants did the office for her. Amy enquired where she was, and whether she was ill?
"No, Miss, not ill," replied the girl, "only worrying herself."
"About what? I trust she is in no trouble."
"Well, you see her father's gone out against the poachers to-night."
"True," replied Amy. "Poor girl! I quite forgot her interest in the matter."
"She's most worrying and fretting herself to death about it, and all to no good, as we all tell her, but she won't listen to none of us."
"Words are poor comfort in such cases."
"Yes, Miss; and what's worse, I believe they've threatened to do for him, her father—I mean."
"That may be mere idle report; there is no authority for the rumour."