The low window of the room in which Sissy had slept looked out immediately upon this drift of leaves, and, as Bates passed it, he glanced through the uncurtained glass, as if the fact that it was really empty was so hard for him to believe that it needed this additional evidence.

Then the stacks of fire-wood in front of the house were all that remained to be searched, and Bates walked round, looking into the narrow aisles between them, looking at the same time down the hill, as if it might be possible that she had been on the shore and he had missed her.
"What are you looking for ?" asked the young American.

The question was not put rudely.

There was a serenity about the youth's expectation of an answer which, proving that he had no thought of over-stepping good manners, made it, at the same time, very difficult to withhold an answer.
Bates turned annoyed.

He had supposed everybody was within.
"What have you lost ?" repeated the youth.
"Oh--" said Bates, prolonging the sound indefinitely.