“I remember him as a boy. Weren’t they one summer at the Mottville Hotel? He’s years younger than you.” Molly gathered courage. “He doesn’t know how old I am,” she responded, “and his mother loves me, too. They were with me three summers.” Then, remembering the man’s statement, she added, “Ages don’t count nowadays. And I will be happy.” “You’ll get happiness with me, not with him,” said an angry voice. “Has he ever told you he loved you?” “No, no, indeed not. But he was here to-day! His mother’s ill and wanted me to come as her companion, but I couldn’t leave father right now.” “Does he know you love him?” An emphatic negative ejaculation from Molly brought a sigh of relief from the man. “Forget him!” said he. “Now I’m going. I shall come back to-night, and remember this. I’ll leave no stone unturned to find that boy. I’ve always longed for one, and I’ll move Heaven and earth to find him.” 41 41 Virginia saw him whirl about, open the door, and stride out. Molly Merriweather stood for a few minutes in silence, trembling. “I didn’t dare to tell him the baby was blind,” she whispered, too low for Jinnie to hear. Then she slowly glided away, leaving the girl under the table, with her pail full of cats, and the fiddle. Presently Virginia crawled out cautiously, the pail on her arm, and hugging her fiddle, she opened the door swiftly, and disappeared down the road, running under the tall trees. 42 CHAPTER IV JINNIE TRAVELS Virginia took the direction leading to the station. Many a time she had watched the trains rush by on their way to New York, but never in those multitudinous yesterdays had it entered her mind that some day she would go over that same way, to be gone possibly forever. The wind was blowing at such a terrific rate that Jinnie could scarcely walk. There was no fear in her heart, only deep solemnity and a sense of awe at the magnificence of a storm. She had left the farmhouse so suddenly that the loneliness of parting had not then been forced upon her as it was now; the
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