`Onlyyesterday。Shesaidsomeonehadreportedthatastrangeransweringtothedescriptionofherdaughterhadbeenseeninourneighbourhood。
Nosuchreporthasreachedushere，andnosuchreportwasknowninthevillage，whenIsenttomakeinquiriesthereonMrsCatherick’saccount。
Shecertainlybroughtthispoorlittledogwithherwhenshecame，andIsawittrotoutafterherwhenshewentaway。Isupposethecreaturestrayedintotheplantations，andgotshot。Wheredidyoufindit，MissHalcombe？’
`Intheoldshedthatlooksoutonthelake。’
`Ah，yes，thatistheplantationside，andthepoorthingdraggeditself，Isuppose，tothenearestshelter，asdogswill，todie。Ifyoucanmoistenitslipswiththemilk，MissHalcombe，Iwillwashtheclottedhairfromthewound。Iamverymuchafraiditistoolatetodoanygood。However，wecanbuttry。’