Now she saw the lights twinkling in the
farm-house, and quickening her pace, she fairly ran through lane and
barnyard, and finally burst into the kitchen, breathless and exhausted,
but radiant. The farmer and his wife, who were sitting with disturbed
and anxious looks, rose hastily as she entered.
"Oh, Hilda, dear!" cried Dame Hartley, "we have been terribly frightened
about you. Jacob has been searching--But, good gracious, child!" she
added, breaking off hastily, "where have you been, and what have you
been doing to get yourself into such a state!"
Well might the good woman exclaim, while the farmer gazed in silent
astonishment. The girl's dress was torn and draggled, and covered with
great spots and splashes of black. Her face was streaked with dirt, her
fair hair hanging loose upon her shoulders. Could this be Hilda, the
dainty, the spotless? But her eyes shone like stars, and her face,
though very pale, wore a look of triumphant delight.
"I have found him!" she said, simply. "My little Jock! Simon threw him
into the wheel-pit of the old mill, and I went to get him out. His leg
is broken, but I know you can set it, Nurse Lucy. Don't look so
frightened," she added, smiling, seeing that the farmer and his wife
were fairly pale with horror; "it was not so _very_ bad, after all." And
in as few words as might be, she told the story of Bubble's note and of
her strange expedition.
"My child! my child!" cried Dame Hartley, putting her arms round the
girl, and weeping as she did so.
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