She had sat there but few minutes when there came a rush of steps into the porch, and Cindy burst into the little sitting-room, almost too out of breath to speak.
"Here's a proclamation!" she said—"Mr. Linden's been shot at dreadful, and Jem Waters is down to fetch Dr. Harrison. I'm free to confess they say he aint dead yet."
With which pleasing announcement, Cindy rushed off again, out of the room and out of the house, being seized with a sudden fear that Jem Waters would forestall her in spreading the news. The noise had awaked Mrs. Derrick, and she sat looking at Faith as if she was first in her thoughts. Faith stood before her with a colourless face, but perfectly quiet, though at first she looked at her mother without speaking.
"Come here, pretty child," said her mother, "and sit down by me."
"Mother," said Faith,—but she would not have known her own voice,—"something has happened."
But the way Mrs. Derrick's arms came round her, said that she too had heard.
"Where can he be, mother?" said Faith gently disengaging herself.
"I don't know, child."
Faith was already at the door.
"Faith!" her mother said, following her with a quick step,—"stop, child!"