“Why, to tell the truth,” he replied, “I could not but feel uneasy when I learned just now of this commotion amongst the heathen. You must know best, but I should not have thought it a day for madam to walk in the woods; so I e’en thought I would cross the neck and bring her home.”

“For madam to walk in the woods?” I said slowly. “So she walks there? With whom?”

“With Diccon and Angela,” he answered. “They went before the sun was an hour high, so Goodwife Allen says. I thought that you — ” “No,” I told him. “On the contrary, I left command that she should not venture outside the garden. There are more than Indians abroad.”

I was white with anger;