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Updated: May 28, 2025
At sight of the uncouth stranger she glanced about her in dismay. "Ann," said Horace, "this is the father of " Ann's expression snapped off his statement. She knew what he would say without his finishing. She remembered the stories of terrible beatings, and the story of Fledra's fear of a wicked man who wanted her for his woman. The boy's words came back to her plainly.
Now, however, she wanted the girl to come to the dining-room to welcome Flukey to his first meal at the table and to learn that the deputy had been withdrawn. When no voice answered her knock, Ann turned the handle of the door and peeped in. Fledra's bed was open, and looked as if its occupant had just got up. Miss Shellington passed through to the bathroom, and called.
She felt again his burning kisses, the clasp of his strong arms, and her own disgust. He seemed a giant of strength, and Horace's white face and set lips aggravated her fear. Fledra's desire for comfort had never been so great as the desire she had at this moment to open her tired heart to Horace and reveal to him Everett's perfidy. "Did you tell Sister Ann about Mr. Brimbecomb?"
Ann rose hastily to her feet. She was sorely tempted to fall into his arms. How handsome he looked, how strongly his eyes pleaded with her! But her vague fears and distrust held her back. She sank again to the chair. "No, no not just yet, Everett," she said. "I've loved you dearly; but I can't understand Fledra's disappearance. Oh, I I don't know how to meet Horace! He loved and trusted her so!"
With a wrathful cry, the scowman jumped back, then lunged forward, wrenched the dog from Fledra's arms, and pitched him over the edge of the barge into the lake. The girl heard the dog give a frightened howl, and saw the splash of water in the moonlight as he fell. He was all she had a yellow bit she had taken with her from the promised land, a morsel of the life that both she and Floyd loved.
The solemn deputy loitering about the home menaced the whole future. It sickened him when he forced his imagination to dwell upon Fledra's future, if she were dragged back to Ithaca, and he had rather place Floyd in his grave than give him into the hands of the squatter.
On the fourth day after Fledra's disappearance, when Ann met her brother, one glance told her that he was unaware of their trouble. "Oh, Horace, I thought you'd never get here! Didn't you receive any of my telegrams?" "No! What's the matter? Has something happened to Floyd? Where's Fledra?" "Gone!" gasped Ann. "Gone! Gone where?"
Horace stooped and looked into the boy's white face, at the same time taking Fledra's letter from Ann. "Flea can't make me think, Brother Horace," said Flukey, "that she went 'cause she wanted to. Pappy Lon made her go, I bet! There's something we don't know. I want you to take me up there to Ithaca, and when I get there I can find her. Prayin' won't keep her from Lem. We've got to do something."
Everett had received the worst of the encounter. He had expected that Horace would consider Fledra's and Floyd's case in a gentler way, would probably compromise for Ann's sake. He went out not a little disturbed. Horace waited for a few moments after Brimbecomb left him before he took his hat and coat and went home.
She ran back hastily to the bed and put her hand upon it. The sheets were cold, while the pillow showed only a faint impression where Fledra's dark head had rested. Miss Shellington paused and glanced about, fright taking the place of expectancy on her face. She hurried to the open window and looked out. Then she rushed to the kitchen and questioned the servants.
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