"I'll go at once—thank you, Philippa——"
"And, Jim?" She was trotting along beside him in her bare feet and bedroom slippers as he started for the stairs. "When you have talked to her, I think you ought to see what is happening on the Ausone road."
"What is happening?" he demanded, descending the stairs.
She kept pace with him, one hand following the stair rail:
"There are so many people and carts and sheep and cattle, all going south. And just now two batteries of artillery went the other way toward Ausone. They were going at a very fast trot—with gendarmes galloping ahead to warn the people to make room——"
"When did you see this?"
"Now, out of that window as I stood knocking at your door."
"All right," he said briefly, picking up the telephone. "Are you there, Sister Eila? Yes; it is Warner speaking."
"Mr. Warner, where can I communicate with Captain Halkett?"
"I don't know, Sister."