ams."

But then he determined to learn exactly how she was, anyway, and turned
his footsteps toward the cottage, which stood on a side street of the
town, backed up by a patch of woods leading to the river. He was just
in sight of the place when he heard a cry, and a man came running out
of the cottage, followed by a woman and a policeman.

"Where is she? Where is she?" cried the man, and Tom Ostrello
recognized Raymond Case.

"Hullo! What's up?" queried the commercial traveler.

"Margaret! She is gone!" cried Raymond. He ran back of the house. "I
can't see anything of her!" he added with a groan.

"Margaret gone? I thought she was sick."

"So she is. She was out of her mind and slipped out of her room while
the nurse went downstairs for some broth. I was in the parlor writing
a letter."

"And I was on guard in the hallway," put in the policeman. "She didn't
pass me, that I'll swear to."

"I was only gone a few minutes," said the nurse. "And I am sure she
did not go through the kitchen."

"How long ago was this?" asked Tom Ostrello.

"Only a few minutes ago. Oh, we must find her," answered Raymond. "If
she wanders off in her present state of mind there is no telling what
will happen to her."

The four scattered, and a vigorous search was instituted for the
missing girl. Soon the news spread and the chief of police came
hurrying to the scene.

"Collins, you are responsible for this escape," said he sternly to the
policeman.

"I did the best I could, sir," was the nervous answer. "She was that
sick, sir, I didn't think she could get out of bed, much less walk off."

"Perhaps she is hiding in the house."

The building was searched from cellar to garret, and so were several
other buildings in that vicinity, but without avail. Then the
gathering crowd scattered through the woods and along the river.

"I don't believe she was as sick as they pretended," said one of the
number. "This is only a bluff to let her get away. I said all along
she was a sly one."

"Perhaps she pulled the wool over the doctor's eyes," came from
another. "And over the eyes of that young fellow who's in love with
her, too."

Raymond heard some of these remarks and they made his face burn. He
longed to knock some of the speakers down, but held his temper in check
as best he could. He realized that no argument he might advance would
make an impression where opinions were so set.

Tom Ostrello joined in the se