The
miseries of her present position were depriving the poor girl of the
full use of her intellect. At last he ascertained that Priscilla's
all-absorbing present anxiety was to be in time for the half-past six
dinner at St. Benet's.
"I know we'll be late," she said, "and I'll have broken the rules, and
Miss Heath will be so much annoyed with me."
Hammond volunteered to look for Miss Merton.
"Oh, thank you," said Prissie, the tears springing to her eyes. "How
very, very kind you are."
"Please don't speak of it," said Hammond. "Stay where you are. I'll
soon bring the young truant to your side."
He began to move about the drawing-rooms, and Prissie from her
hiding-place watched him with a world of gratitude in her face. "Talk
of my stirring from this corner," she said to herself, "why, I feel
glued to the spot! Oh, my awful muddy boots. I daren't even think of
them. Now I do hope Mr. Hammond will find Miss Merton quickly. How
kind he is! I wonder Maggie does not care for him as much as he cares
for her. I do not feel half as shy with him as I do with every one
else in this dreadful-- dreadful room. Oh, I do trust he'll soon come
back and bring Miss Merton with him. Then, if we run all the way, we
may, perhaps, be in time for dinner.
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