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The Rectory Children by Mrs. Molesworth
page 133 of 169 (78%)
an hour or so?'

'Certainly,' said Mr. Vane decidedly. 'I could not stay here.'

Mr. Mildmay reached the Rectory to find poor Mrs. Vane in a sad state of
fright. Biddy's absence had not been discovered for some time, as
Rosalys was busy with her mother, and Rough had not come in from school,
and everybody, if they thought about her at all, naturally thought she
was with some one else. For a girl of seven or eight should surely be
sensible enough to be left to herself for an hour in her own nursery or
schoolroom! But once the hue and cry after her began, it really did seem
as if there were cause for alarm. Every one had some new idea to
suggest, ending by Rough, who, as he came riding in on his pony and
heard the news, declared she must be hiding out of mischief.

But no--a very short search dispelled that possibility, and the pony had
to be saddled again for Rough to set off as fast as he could to Seacove
to inquire if the truant had perhaps followed Celestina home.

'And your father not in yet either,' said Mrs. Vane. 'Oh, Alie, what
_can_ be the matter? Can something have happened to him that Biddy has
heard of, and that has made her run off to him--poor Biddy, she is very
fond of papa. But if she has run away out of mischief, Alie--oh, _could_
she be such a naughty, naughty girl?'

Mrs. Vane was dreadfully excited. Alie had hard work to keep back her
own tears.

'Just as we were _so_ happy about the doll-house for her too,' Mrs. Vane
went on.
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