Then it must be—she told herself—all the while fear growing larger in her heart—that Ann, too, had gone out for a walk.
"Worth," she asked, grotesquely overdoing unconcern, "where's Miss Ann?
Has she gone for a walk?"
"Why, Aunt Kate, she was called away."
"Called away?" whispered Katie. "Called where?"
"She said she was called away. She's gone."
"But she's coming back? When did she say, dear," she pleaded, "that she would be back?"
"I don't know, Aunt Kate. She felt awful bad because she had to go. She came and kissed me—she kissed me and kissed me—and said she hated to leave me—but that she had to go. She kept saying she had to."
In the hall was Nora. "Nora," asked Katie, standing with her back to her, "what is it about Miss Forrest?"
"She was called away, Miss Kate. A telegram. I didn't see no boy—"
"They must have 'phoned it," said Katie sharply.