a bit
nervous, impatient like, but he attributed that to her anxiety to make
the train. Yes, she had a bag with her, but no other luggage. No, she
didn't talk on the way to the station: Why should she? He wasn't the man
to ask a lady questions about what wasn't his affair. She minded her own
business and he minded his. No, he didn't know nothin' more about it.
What was I a-pumpin' him for, anyway?

I gave up the "pumping" and hurried back to the rectory. There Hephzy
told me a few additional facts. Frances had taken with her only the
barest necessities, for the most part those which she had when she
came to us. Her new frocks, those which she had bought with what she
considered her money, she had left behind. All the presents which we had
given her were in her room, or so we thought at the time. As she came,
so she had gone, and the thought that she had gone, that I should never
see her again, was driving me insane.

And like an insane man I must have behaved, at first. The things I
did and said, and the way in which I treated Hephzy shame me now, as I
remember them. I was going to London at once. I would find her and bring
her back. I would seek help from the police, I would employ detectives,
I would do anything--everything. She was almost without money; so far as
I knew without friends. What would she do? What would become of her? I
must find her. I must bring her back.

I stormed up and down the room, incoherently declaring my intentions and
upbraiding Hephzy for not having sent the groom or the gardener to find
me, for allowing all the precious time to elapse. Hephzy offered no
excuse. She did not attempt justification. Instead she brought the
railway time-table, gave orders that the horse be harnessed, helped me
in every way. She would have prepared a meal for me with her own hands,
would have fed me like a baby, if I had permitted it. One thing she did
insist upon.

"You must rest a few minutes, Hosy," she said. "You must, or you'll
be down sick. You haven't slept a wink all night. You haven't eaten
anything to speak of since yesterday noon. You can't go this way. You
must go to your room and rest a few minutes. Lie down and rest, if you
can."

"Rest!"

"You must. The train doesn't leave Haddington for pretty nigh two hours,
and we've got lots of time. I'll fetch you up some tea and toast or
somethin' by and by and I'll be all ready to start when you are. Now go
and lie down, Hosy dear, to please me."