His morning paper said quite a lot of women were afraid to go out alone.

Was it possible that the curious way she had been taken just now had had nothing to do with the shouts and excitement outside?
"Don't you know what it was they were calling out ?" he asked slowly.
Mrs.Bunting looked across at him.

She would have given a very great deal to be able to lie, to pretend that she did not know what those dreadful cries had portended.

But when it came to the point she found she could not do so.
"Yes," she said dully.

"I heard a word here and there.