And old Davy, who came up at the moment, said: "Divils ma'am—divils in the head."
When Jason got to Lague he found the other Fairbrothers assembled there. Asher had missed Greeba the night before, and on rising late that morning—Sunday morning—he had so far conquered his laziness as to walk round to his brothers' houses and inquire for her. All six, except John, had then trudged back to Lague, thinking in their slow way to start a search, and they began their quest by ransacking Greeba's room. There they found two letters in a chest, clearly forgotten in a hasty leave-taking. One of them was Greeba's abandoned letter to Red Jason, the other was the letter of Michael Sunlocks to Greeba. The Fairbrothers read both with grim wonderment, and Jacob put Greeba's letter in his pocket. They were discussing the letter of Sunlocks as Jason entered; and they fell back at sight of his ashy face and the big beads of sweat that dropped from it.
"What's this? Where is she?" he said, and his powerful voice shook.
Without a word they handed him the letter, and he glanced it over and turned it in his hands, like one who does not see or cannot read.
"Where's she gone?" he said again, lifting his helpless eyes to the faces about him.
"The devil knows," said Jacob; "but see—read—'Michael Sunlocks,'" running his finger along the signature.
At that a groan like the growl of a beast came from Jason's throat, and like a baited dog he looked around, not yet knowing on whom his wrath should fasten.
"It's very simple. It's plain to see that she has gone to him," said Jacob.
And then Jason's face was crossed by a ghastly smile.
"Oh, I'm a woman of a man," he muttered, looking stupidly down at the paper in his hand. "A poor-spirited fool," he muttered again. "I must be so, God knows." But at the next moment his white face grew blood-red, and he cried: "My curse upon him," and with that he tossed back the letter and swung out of the house.