stantly responded. Her appearance was not unlike that of some dumb and patient animal under suffering.
"Where did he go, Mina?" he inquired gently.
"He was not here after supper."
"Did any one come for him?"
"Yaas."
"Who was it?"
"It was the man what was here before, sometimes. You was here too, may be."
"Do you mean it was the man who was here night before last, when I was?"
"Yaas. It was the man."
"It was!" exclaimed Robert. "Are you certain of it, Mina?"
"Yaas," replied the woman simply.
"Do you know what he said?"
"Nein. They talk some long times in the barn."
"Did n't he come into the house?"
Mina shook her head, but did not speak.
"What did Dirck do, then? Which way did he go? Did they go away together? Did n't he leave any word with you? Did n't he say where he was going?"
Dirck's wife stared blankly at Robert as he excitedly asked his questions, but apparently
