"Yes. I picked the bows off myself. I object to them." She stared at Molly with a puzzled frown. "You are a very peculiar girl," she said, and left the room. "I took _hours_ sewing them on!" wailed the discomfited Molly to an unsympathetic and much-amused audience. "I believe our dear aunt thinks you’re a bit wanting," declared Denis, tapping his brow. Miss Kezia put her head round the door again "Where is Sheila?" "She hasn’t come back yet." "Come back? From where?" "Next door," said Nell. "What has she gone there for? I object to her running in and out." "She went to tea." "No. I have come from there only half an hour ago." "Are you _sure_?" Nell looked bewildered. "Stewart had tea with us. She was not there." Nell looked at Molly; her eyes had widened suddenly, "Molly!"—her voice was quite sharp—"you said she had gone—" "I thought she had. A maid came and asked her—" Denis bounded down the stairs. "Sarah!" "Yes, sir!" "Do you know anything about a maid coming from next door to ask Miss Sheila to go to tea?" "Yes, sir, but she said, ’No, thank you, she didn’t wish to go.’" "Have you seen her go out, Sarah?" "No, sir. She’s never out, and it pouring and that bitter cold and windy!" In another minute he had on his coat, and had gone off to the milkman’s to see if she were there. The others waited. Molly tried guiltily to comfort Nell, and to excuse herself. "Oh, do be quiet!" Nell interrupted her. "Can’t you at least do that?" Denis returned with no news of her. "She may have gone to Mr. Yovil’s or to Sarah’s home—" "Or Ted Lancaster’s—Denis," Nell’s voice was desperate, "she’s been gone nearly three hours! I can’t stay here. I’ll go to Sarah’s, while you go—" "You will not! You cannot go out alone! It is dark and raining," Miss Kezia interrupted. Nell gave a queer little laugh. "I’m going," she said. "Nell," Denis interposed, "I’ll get you a cab. You go to Mr. Yovil’s—I’ll go off to Lancaster’s. Sarah will go home." His tone was quietly authoritative. Miss Kezia found herself put aside and everyone obeying him implicitly. In reality she was very uneasy and anxious herself, but she hid it beneath a cold and disapproving manner. Nell returned a few minutes after he did. She shook her head. "He was out. She hasn’t been there." "There’s Sarah yet. She isn’t back." "Must we wait, Denis?" "No. I’m off to the police station. If she should bring her back, I can go and cancel orders." His hand was on the door latch. "Here’s Sarah!" he said. Sarah hurried in, wet, breathless. "No, missansir—oh, and them crool moters—and she such a baby for all her grown ways!"