It was late when the door opened and Watson came in. Barbara had crossed
the room hurriedly, supposing that it was Harriet, but stopped, seeing
who her visitor was.
"I have just heard that your maid will not return," Said Watson.
"Where is she?"
The man shrugged his shoulders.
"How can I know? She has probably found freedom more attractive than
this place."
"Tell me the truth," said Barbara.
"I know no more than that she will not return. That was the bald message
she sent, with a suggestion that someone else must be found to serve
you. To-night, it is too late to search the town for a woman willing to
undertake the duty, but to-morrow--"
"I want no other maid," said Barbara. "There is some reason why the girl
does not return to me, and you know that reason."
"I can guess."
"It is easy to understand," Barbara returned. "The streets of Dorchester
are not safe for any honest woman to-day."
"That may be so, madam, but I do not think it is the reason of Mistress
Payne's desertion. I think fear has stepped in. At the best she did not
seem to me a courageous person, at the worst she would be an easy
coward.
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