She reflected and answered, "Quite six miles."
"Well, we shall be back with your box before ten. Don't sit up; you want all the rest you can get. To-morrow will be full of business."
"Oh!" cried Julia, "I hope there will be no trouble. Father may—He won't like you to know that I have run away. He may insist upon returning with you, or coming here."
"If he is at home he may, and we'll give him a lift with pleasure."
"I should refuse to meet him," cried the girl, standing up in a sudden passion of indignation. "He has seen me suffer and has looked on. If he comes here it is not for me, but for that," and she pointed to the bottle of whisky.
"You shall have your box of clothes, anyhow," said Hardy, smoking coolly and looking at the girl; and three minutes after he had said this Miss Bax came in, and reported that "father and the cart was at the gate."
"Don't let Miss Armstrong sit up," said Hardy. "Do those chaps back talk very loud?"
"When they arguefy," answered Miss Bax. "They're wrangling over the age of the queen now."
"Well, when Miss Armstrong goes to bed silence them," said Hardy, "for I want the lady to sleep well. We shall meet at breakfast," said he, turning to Julia and taking her hand.
"I shall wait up for you. How could I sleep?" she replied.