But Lucy broke down under the thing an' raved an' cried, an' nuther Nell ner I could do anything with her.

She said she'd ruined Tom's life an' all thet, an' she didn't want to live herself.

Then she took sick, an' Nell an' I nursed her as careful as we could.

How'n the wurld she ever got away we can't make out, nohow." "Did she get away ?" asked the girl, noting that the old man's eyes were full of tears and his lips trembling.
"Yes, miss.

She's bin gone over ten days, now, an' we don't even know where to look fer her; our girl--our poor Lucy.