All she could do
was to stumble onward until the vicarage was reached, and arrived
there she sank down on the doorstep exhausted. The fright and the
walk, so long for her, had nearly killed her.
Dinah came quickly to the door, in response to the frightened frantic
knock, and as she opened it Martha Perry fell in at her feet, faint
and helpless.
"My--Huldah"--she panted, "he's found her; he's taken her--away--and
Dick too! Help me--to--" then, as they raised her and carried her
into the kitchen, she lost consciousness entirely.
When she opened her eyes again Miss Rose was standing beside her.
"Huldah! where's my Huldah?" she cried, her poor eyes filling with
tears. "What--can we do?"
Miss Rose's face was very white, but her eyes were brave and smiling.
"It's all right, Martha, dear. She will be back with you to-morrow,
I hope. We have sent to the police; they are to take the matter up,
and see it through, and we have telegraphed to Belmouth, and
Woodleigh, and Crinnock, to tell the police there to look out for the
man, and stop him."
Mrs. Perry moaned with disappointment, she could not help it, when
she thought of poor Huldah, every moment going further and further
from them all. Longing, hoping, expecting every moment that someone
would overtake them and save her, straining her ears to hear help
coming,--and then, at last, in utter hopeless despair realising that
she was left to herself, helpless, broken-hearted! She would not
know that it was only for one night, and that help was coming in the
morning.
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