zed men. "Git the lanterns lit, for
goodness' sake," said she, "and hunt and do something. I'm goin' to git
her supper, and I'll keep her pacified." Emma gave a jerk with a sharp
elbow toward Mrs. Ewing's room. "For goodness' sake, if you don't know
yet where she has went, why don't you do somethin'?" she demanded. The
men went before her sharp command like dust before her broom. "Keep as
still as you can," ordered Emma as they went out. "_She_ mustn't, git to
worryin' before she comes home."

[Illustration: "Saw a little dark figure running toward him." Page 239.]

For the next two hours Gordon, James, and Aaron searched. They walked,
each going his separate way into the fields and woods on the road,
having agreed upon a signal when the girl should be found. The signal
was to be a pistol shot. James went first to the wood, where he had
found Clemency on her former disappearance. He searched in every shadow,
throwing the gleam of his lantern into little dark nests of last year's
ferns, and hollows where last year's leaves had swirled together to die,
but no Clemency. At last, wearied and heart-sick, he came out on the
road. The moon was just up, a full moon, and the road lay stretched
before him like a silver ribbon covered with the hoar-frost. He gazed
down it hopelessly, and saw a little dark figure running toward him. He
was incredulous, but he called, "Clemency!"

A glad little cry answered him. He himself ran forward, and the girl was
in his arms, sobbing and trembling as if her heart would break.

"What has happened? What has happened, darling?" James cried in an
agony. "Are you hurt? What has happened?"

"Something very strange has happened, but I am not hurt," sobbed
Clemency. James remembered the signal. "Wait a second, dear," he said;
"your uncle and Aaron are searching, and I promised to fire the pistol
if I found you." James fired his pistol in the air six times. Then he
returned to Clemency, who was leaning against a tree. "How I wish we had
driven here!" James said tenderly.

"I can walk, if you help me," Clemency sobbed, leaning against him. "Oh,
I am so sorry I acted so this morning. I got punished for it. I haven't
been hurt, nobody has been anything but kind to me, but I have been
dreadfully frightened."

Gordon and Aaron came running up. "Where have you been, Clemency?"
Gordon demanded in a harsh voice. "Another time you must do as you are
told. You are too old to behave like a child, and put u