I hurried up
and got breakfast ready for father and myself. I then went and rapped
at his door, but I got no answer. His room was empty.'
Winifred paused here as though she expected me to say something. A
thousand things occurred to me to ask, but until I knew more--until I
knew how much and how little she remembered of that dreadful time, I
dared ask her nothing--I dared make no remark at all. I said, 'Go on,
Winnie; pray do not break your story.'
'Well,' said she, 'I found that my father had not returned during the
night. I did not feel disturbed at that, his ways were so uncertain.
I did not even hurry over my breakfast, but dallied over it,
recalling the scenes of the previous night, and wondering what some
of them could mean. I then went down the gangway at Needle Point to
walk on the sands. I thought I might meet father coming from
Dullingham. I had to pass the landslip, where a great number of
Raxton people were gathered. They were looking at the frightful
relics of Raxton churchyard. They were too dreadful for me to look
at.
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