"Poor thing, she was to steal out while we were talking, but we'll go up and surprise her. And when you see her with the little mite at her breast, looking down at it and kissing it, with such a pitiful smile, the dear, it will fill your heart brimful. But for goodness' sake wipe your eyes and blow your nose, Anna, and do for mercy's sake look more cheerful. Quietly now, quietly, or she'll think the Sheriff is behind us."
With that the two old things, snuffling as if they had colds in the head, but struggling to smile and seem happy, went creeping up to the bedroom.
By that time the room was empty and Thora was gone.
The women looked at each other for an instant, and then Aunt Margret ran to the cradle. The child was gone, too.
At that moment the bell of the front door rang again. Aunt Margret cried, "There she is," and the two women raced down-stairs to see.
It was Magnus coming in.
"Thora has been here, but she has gone--gone this very minute," cried Anna.
"And she has taken the child along with her," cried Aunt Margret.
Without a word Magnus turned about and leapt back to the street. There he met the Sheriff and told him what had happened. At the next minute the two women were running hither and thither and the two men were gone different ways.
Half an hour afterward they met at the Factor's house again. Thora and the child had not been found. They had disappeared as utterly as if a lava stream had swallowed them.