He seemed to realise that his little mistress was in danger, and he meant to stand by her.
"Shut up your noise!" shouted her "uncle," and dealt her another sharp blow on the side of the head.
Mrs.Perry screamed, and fell fainting into the chair, and with the same Tom Smith picked up Huldah in his arms and made for the door.
The sound of footsteps and bitter cries died away in the lane, and a deep oppressive silence followed.

The kettle sang and boiled and bubbled over, the supper burnt in the pan, the fire died down, and still that senseless form lay huddled up in her chair, her white face turned upwards to the ceiling, as though beseeching help.
Minutes passed before any sign of life came back to her, and with a shuddering sigh she opened her eyes again.

At first she was dazed, and her mind a blank, then the open door, the empty room, the stillness, brought all back to her in a sudden overwhelming rush of sorrow.
For a few moments she sat, weak, white, and trembling, trying to think; then rising stumblingly to her feet she picked up her shawl, and wrapping it over her head and shoulders, she groped her way out of the house, down the garden, and out into the darkness of the night.
Stumbling, tottering, having to pause every few minutes, to rest her shaking limbs and gasp for breath, she made her way up the lane.
She must find Miss Rose.

Miss Rose must know, Miss Rose would help them! Oh it _must_ come right! She could not lose her child and Dick.

She could not live without them now! Tears welled up, and poured down her ashy face, as she thought of those two, and what they might be enduring now.
"Dear Father, protect them!" she prayed.