"Be it as you wish," he answered with a sigh. "I feel as if whatever may happen now cannot greatly matter."
Clara rose, and as she did so, a strange eager light leapt into her eyes. "Come with me--quick, quick!" she exclaimed. "I have thought of a plan. Even now there may be time." Then turning to Miss Primby "You will stay here, aunt, will you not? I shall not be more than a few minutes away."
The spinster nodded; her heart was too full for speech. Then Clara, passing an arm through her husband's, lifted the portière, and they went out together.
Margery had already disappeared.
[CHAPTER VII.]
Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence. She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away. When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
"Is he safe, Clara? Oh, tell me that he is safe!"
"I hope and trust so; more than that I cannot say. The police may arrive at any moment. You must try to look brave and unconcerned, aunty, dear. You need not speak unless you like, but leave everything to me."
"Very well, dear. I know that I shall be too nervous to say a word.--But what are you going to tell the police?"