He and Abner sat one on each side of the fire and furtively watched Madelon preparing supper.
She spoke never a word.

Her red lips were a red line of resolution.
Her despairing eyes were fixed upon her work without a glance for either of them.
However, when supper was set on the table, and she had blown the horn at the door and waited, and nobody else came, she turned with sudden life upon her father and her brothers, who had already begun to taste the smoking hasty-pudding.

"Where are the others ?" she cried out, shrilly.

"Where are Louis and Richard ?" The men glanced at one another under sullen eyelids, but nobody answered.

"Where are they ?" she repeated.
"You know as much about it as we do," Eugene said, then, in his soft voice.
Madelon stood with wild eyes flashing from one to another.