"
I stared stupidly, and then I said, but my voice was so low that I
scarcely heard it:
"We have not seen Constance this morning."
Mrs. Rayner gave a shrill scream.
"My child!" she cried, "where is my child!" and ran from the room.
Gabriel and I stood motionless where she had left us, and clasped
our cold hands.
"Emilia Fletcher!" called Mrs. Rayner from upstairs, with a hard
ring in her voice, "come up; I want you a minute."
And I went up. The bed was tumbled, but she had not slept in it; her
hat and cloak were gone. I sat on the edge of the bed and shook from
head to foot; Mrs. Rayner was running to and fro like a mad woman.
"She is gone! Where is she gone? I never said good night to her!"
she shrieked. "Mrs. Norton, you saw her last, you must know
something of it. Here are her boots, she must have gone out in her
shoes; the soles were thin, she'll catch her death of cold!" And she
ran to the door, crying, "Constance! Constance!"
I made my way to the dressing-table; I remembered to have seen her
purse upon it when I went up to mend my dress the evening before. It
was gone, but in its place I found a little note with my name upon
it.
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