Day and night for years she had been fearing this, and now it had actually happened! The shock was too much for her.

Scream after scream pierced their ears, as she staggered out of the van and flung herself upon her husband.
The screams, which roused Dick to a fury of barking, and startled even poor old worn-out Charlie, wakened Huldah from the deep sleep into which she had fallen, exhausted by sorrow.
Springing from her bed, she saw the policeman, and that he had his hand on her uncle, holding him securely, in spite of Aunt Emma's attack.

But why was Bob Thorp there, too?
Huldah recognised him with a shock of surprise and fear.
For a moment she gazed frightened yet fascinated at the group, then across her mind flashed the thought, Here was her chance of escape! Quick as thought she caught up a knife from the table, and slipping down the steps cut the rope which held Dick, then, sheltered from view by the van itself, she clambered through the hedge with the dog at her heels, and away and away as fast as her feet could cover the ground.

Her aunt's screams deadened any other noise, and her aunt's furious attack took all the attention of the three men, so that escape was easy.
It never entered Huldah's head that the policeman had come on her account, and that she was safer now than ever in her life before.
She did not know there had been time to communicate with the police, and the one thought that had filled her mind all these weary hours was escape, and getting back to Mrs.Perry.
At first she raced wildly, but before very long her strength gave out, her excitement died down.

Her pace grew slower and slower, more and more halting, and then finally she stopped.