Mrs. Kinloch was surprised at finding that neither Hugh nor Mildred, nor yet Lucy Ransom, was in the house.
Mildred came home first and was not accompanied by Hugh, as Mrs. Kinloch had hoped. He had not found her, then,--perhaps he had not sought for her. Next Lucy returned, coming through the garden which stretched up the hill. Being questioned, she answered that she had been to her grandmother's, and had come back the nearest way over the hill, through the woods.
"What had she gone for after the fatigue of washing-day?"
"Because Squire Clamp, who owned the house her grandmother lived in, wanted her to take a message."
Mrs. Kinloch began to become interested. "Squire Clamp!" she exclaimed,--"when did you see him?"
"He called here yesterday evening,--on his way to Mr. Hardwick's, I guess."
"Why didn't he ask me if you could go? I think he's pretty free to send my girls about the town on his errands."
"You were out, Ma'am,--in the next house; and after he'd gone I forgot it."
"You remembered it to-day, it seems."
"Yes'm; after dinner I thought of it and hurried right off; but granny was sick and foolish, and didn't want to let me come away, so I couldn't get back as quick as I meant to."