“I’m frightened about Jean.”
Dr. Maclean looked across at his wife. “How d’you mean?” he asked irritably. “Explain yourself, woman.”
“I sent her upstairs to lie down after Mr. Kentworthy had gone away, and about tea-time Elsie went up to see if she was asleep. But she wasn’t in her room. We looked all over the house, but she’s slipped out without telling anybody.”
“Well? What of that? Why shouldn’t the girl want a breath of fresh air? It’s just what I should have done at her age if I’d felt as I’m afraid the poor wean is feeling now.”
“Listen to what she did do,” said Mrs. Maclean in a low voice. “Elsie felt uneasy—just as uneasy as I did. So she went off into the village. They said at the post office that Jean had gone by, walking very quickly, about a quarter of an hour before. Then
