She took the letter as she spoke over to Annie, who started up, dropped her pen, and stood with both hands outstretched.
"It has come," she cried: "at last I have news."
Her face grew suddenly white as death.
"What is it, dear?" said Leslie with sympathy.
"At last I have news," repeated Annie. "I have been starving, or, rather, I have been thirsting. You cannot tell what a thirst like mine means; and this, this is a cup of cold water."
"Well, read it in peace," said Leslie. "I won"t disturb you. I am truly glad it has come."
Leslie seated herself with her back to her companion and opened her own letters. After a time she looked round. Annie was standing just where she was when she received the letter; both her hands were clutching it tightly, her eyes were fixed upon the written words, and her face was white.
"Have you had bad news?" said Leslie.
"Don"t notice me," replied Annie. She crushed the letter up tight, thrust it into her pocket, and said abruptly, "What is the hour?"
"It is quite late-between ten and eleven."
"I don"t care. I must go into the grounds; the air is stifling."
"But they are just shutting up."
"I shall go-I know a way. Don"t say a word. I"ll be back presently."
She seized a small cloth cap which she was fond of wearing, and ran out of the room.
Leslie stood and thought about her for a moment or two; but then her own correspondence absorbed her, and she did not notice when eleven and even twelve struck.
Just after midnight she rose with a sigh to prepare for bed. She looked round the room. There was no sign of Annie Colchester.
"How stupid of me to have forgotten about her," she thought with compunction. "She ought to have been in bed and to have taken her cocoa an hour ago. Oh! now I remember; she got a letter which upset her very much and went out. Dear, dear! where can she be?"
Leslie went to the window and flung it open; she put her head out, and tried to peer into the darkness; but the moon had already set, and she could not see more than a couple of yards in front of her. She ventured to call Annie"s name softly; there was no reply. She shut the window.
"There is nothing for it but for me to go and look for her," she said to herself. "She is a very queer, erratic creature; and that letter-there was bad news in that letter. Poor girl, she spoke of it as cold water to the thirsty; she looked when I saw her last as if it had half killed her. What can she be doing out by herself? Yes, I must find her without delay."
Leslie left the room; but she had scarcely gone a dozen paces down the corridor before she met Annie returning. Annie"s eyes were very bright, her cheeks were no longer pale, and there was a brilliant color in them.
She did not take the least notice of Leslie; but, going into the room, shut the door. Leslie opened it and followed her.
"Dear me, Annie!" she said, "I was quite frightened about you."
"Don"t begin," said Annie.
"Don"t begin! What do you mean?"
"I mean that I don"t want you to begin to ask questions. I am going to get into bed, and to remain perfectly quiet, and you are not to ask me one question about anything. I want to sleep. I walked up and down as fast as ever I could outside in order to make myself sleepy. Don"t talk to me, Leslie; don"t say a single word. I shall go off to sleep-that is all I care for."
"But your letter, dear?"
"Don"t," said Annie. "I am not going to confide in you; so don"t think it. I only want to get into bed and to sleep."
Leslie did not venture to say any more. She lit the little spirit-lamp, put on the milk to boil, and prepared the cocoa as usual. When Annie"s cup was ready, brimful and frothy, and looking as tempting as it could, she brought it to her with a biscuit.
"Now, drink this at once," she said in a voice of authority, "if you really wish to sleep."
Annie stared vacantly at the cocoa, then she uttered a laugh.
"Drink that?" she said. "Do you want to kill me? Don"t talk any more. I am sleepy; I shall sleep."
She got into bed as she spoke, and wrapped the clothes tightly round her.
"Oh, do turn off the electric light," she said again. "Can"t you manage with a candle, just for once?"
"Certainly," said Leslie.
She turned off the light, and lit a candle, which she put behind her screen, then prepared to get into bed.
Annie"s manner was very mysterious. There was no doubt that she had got a shock; but of what nature Leslie could not in the least make out.
There was no help for it, however. Annie did not mean to confide in anyone that night, and the kindest thing was to leave her alone.
"By and by I must get her to tell me," thought Leslie; "but there is no use in worrying her now."
Tired out, Leslie herself dropped asleep. She was awakened in the middle of the night. What was the matter? She heard the sound of someone running swiftly. There was a sort of wind in the room. She sat up in bed.
"Annie, is that you?" she called out.
There was no reply, but the sound of hurrying steps came quicker and quicker-now and then they were interrupted by a groan.
Leslie lit her candle and peered into the darkness. She now saw that Annie was running backwards and forwards in her part of the room.
"Annie!" she said again.
There was no reply, the steps went a little faster, and the groans came oftener, then the following words fell upon Leslie"s ears:
"Oh, this will kill me; my heart will break. This will kill me!"
"What is the matter, Annie, dear?" said Leslie again. She hastily put on her dressing-gown, and with candle in hand advanced to where the other girl was pacing. Annie"s eyes were open; one glance showed Leslie that she was walking in her sleep.
CHAPTER XVII
THE "MERRY ALICE."
Leslie knew that she must on no account awaken her. Approaching her softly, she took her hand. Annie immediately stopped in her wild pacings; she did not withdraw her hand from Leslie"s. Leslie led her toward the bed, taking care not to speak. Using a little force, she got Annie to sit down on the edge of the bed; then raising her feet gently she covered her with the bedclothes, and stood by her, still retaining her hand. After a time, Annie seemed to feel the comfort of that warm pressure; she ceased to moan, her eyes closed, the frown vanished from her brows, and she fell into a heavy sleep.