“Isn’t a Tempest more in evidence to-day than a blizzard, Mr. Bartram?�
Donald waved his hand at her, and she was gone, her low, rich laugh coming back to him in the moist air.
Before Donald reached Nathan’s the sky had begun to be flecked with clouds, light and fleecy, that seemed to speed swiftly high in the air. Then he felt drops of rain that seemed to come out of the somewhere. At intervals the sun would shine brightly and warm. As the hours wore away Donald’s anxiety increased.
Lissa looked out at three o’clock, to see the sky overcast with clouds, and large scattering flakes of snow floating about in the chill air. At the same moment Donald rode up from the stables on the back of his favorite horse, Duke, a large, powerful animal, of great intelligence and endurance.
“I am going over to Mark’s, Lissa,� he cried, “to see if Tibby has returned. Within a half hour it will be impossible to see a rod ahead of one. If that wilful girl should attempt to start back in the face of the storm, as she is almost sure to do, she can never get home alone. Don’t go out of doors yourself. I’ve made all secure at the stables. If Tibby has returned I shall be back in a few moments. If not, I shall go to meet her.�
Lissa’s face paled.
“I know the danger, Donald. I hope, oh, I hope you’ll find her all right at Mark’s!�
Donald was already far down the road, when the wind, suddenly veering, swept the house with such a shock Lissa was glad to close the door and draw up to the great stove for warmth.
A few moments later Donald was at Mark’s door, and the swift-falling snowflakes were already obscuring the landscape when he rapped with his riding-whip and met the startled face of Mrs. Cramer.
“Has Miss Waring returned?� he asked anxiously, searching Alice’s countenance.