She snatched up the sealed bag of letters that was waiting to go on to Urshot, and rushed out of the door at once.

Almost simultaneously Mr.Skelmersdale himself appeared down the village, gripping a watering-pot by the spout, and very white in the face.

And, of course, in a moment or so every one in the village was rushing to the door or window.
The spectacle of Miss Durgan all across the road, with the entire day's correspondence of Hickleybrow in her hand, gave pause to the pullet in possession of Master Skelmersdale.

She halted through one instant's indecision and then turned for the open gates of Fulcher's yard.

That instant was fatal.