those two, and what they might be enduring now.

"Dear Father, protect them!" she prayed. "Dear Jesus, take care of
them!" and all the way she went her pleadings beat at Heaven's gate
for the two poor waifs she so loved. "Dear Jesus, protect them, and
bring them back to me. I love them so, and they are all I have."

Her heart laboured so heavily she could scarcely breathe, her head
throbbed distractingly, her limbs shook so much under her that she
could scarcely drag herself along. Every now and then she fancied
she heard a scream or Huldah's sobs; then again she thought she heard
Dick's bark, and each time she stopped and listened, and gazed into
the darkness, but presently the loneliness and darkness so oppressed
her that she could not bring herself to stop again. 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?"