Mamma jumped and gasped, "Who?"
They were shivering with the after-midnight chill of the cold room, and Prue was not home. Papa snapped his watch open and snapped it shut; and the same to his jaw:
"Two o'clock! And Prue not home. I'm going after her!"
He thrust into his overcoat, slapped his hat on his aching head, flung open the door. And Prue came home.
She was alone! And in tears!
V
As papa's overcoat slid off his arms and his hat off his head she tore down her gloves, tossed her cloak in the direction of the hat-tree and stumbled up the stairs, sobbing. Her mother caught her hand.
"What's the matter, honey?"
Prue wrenched loose and went on up.
Father and mother stared at her, then at each other, then at the floor. Each read the same unspeakable fear in the other's soul. Serina ran up the stairs as fast as she could. William automatically locked the doors and windows, turned out the lights, and followed.