Neither felt it possible to answer her.
"Mr. Rossitur ain't come home, is he?"
"No," said Fleda shuddering.
"So I thought, and so I told Seth Plumfield just now--he was asking for him--My stars! ha'n't you no fire here? what did you let it go out for?"
Barby came in and began to build it up.
"It's growing cold I can tell you, so you may as well have something in the chimney to look at. You'll want it shortly if you don't now."
"Was Mr. Plumfield here, did you say, Barby?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't he come in?"
"I s'pose he hadn't a mind to," said Barby. "Twa'n't for want of being asked. I did the civil thing by him if he didn't by me;--but he said he didn't want to see anybody but Mr. Rossitur."