“I see you must; but I am glad to meet you, for I took a fancy to you. My place is only five miles from Hitaca, and I should be pleased to see you there.”
We talked for half an hour about affairs on the lake, and I invited him to dine with me; but he was engaged with a friend at the hotel. Just as he was taking his leave, we heard a timid pull at the door-bell.
“Miss Grace Toppleton,” said my mother, showing her into the room where we were, which was the parlor.
“Grace!” I exclaimed, delighted to see her.
But I perceived in an instant that she was intensely agitated, and I realized that her visit was not one of ceremony. Indeed, I could not help fearing that some terrible calamity had happened.
“Oh, Mr. Wolf! I am——”
“Take a chair, Miss Grace,” I interposed, as she gasped, and seemed to be entirely out of breath.
I placed the rocking-chair for her, and she began to move toward it. Then I saw that her face had suddenly become deadly pale. Her step tottered, and she was on the point of falling to the floor, when I sprang to her assistance, as did my mother also at the same time. I received her into my arms, and bore her to the sofa.
“Bless me, the poor child has fainted! What can have happened to her?” exclaimed my mother, running for her camphor-bottle.
Though it was not very strange that a young lady should faint, I was utterly confounded by the situation. Something had occurred to alarm or agitate her; but I could not imagine what it was. I looked out the window; but I could see not even a horse, cow, or dog, to terrify her.