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casket for holding glovesdestined to take its place on Lucilla's
toilet…table when it was done。 We left him industriously at work；
determined to go on as long as the daylight lasted。
Early in the evening； Lucilla sat down at her pianoforte； and I paid a
visit by appointment to the rectory side of the house。
Unhappy Mrs。 Finch had determined to institute a complete reform of her
wardrobe。 She had entreated me to give her the benefit of 〃my French
taste；〃 in the capacity of confidential critic and adviser。 〃I can't
afford to buy any new things；〃 said the poor lady。 〃But a deal might be
done in altering what I have got by me； if a clever person took the
matter up。〃 Who could resist that piteous appeal？ I resigned myself to
the baby； the novel； and the children in general； and （Reverend Finch
being out of the way； writing his sermon） I presented myself in Mrs。
Finch's parlor； full of ideas； with my scissors and my pattern…paper
ready in my hand。
We had only begun our operations； when one of the elder children arrived
with a message from the nursery。
It was tea…time； and； as usual； Jicks was missing。 She was searched for；
first in the lower regions of the house； secondly in the garden。 Not a
trace of her was to be discovered in either quarter。 Nobody was surprised
or alarmed。 We said； 〃Oh； dear； she has gone to Browndown again！〃and
immersed ourselves once more in the shabby recesses of Mrs。 Finch's
wardrobe。
I had just decided that the blue merino jacket was an article of wearing
apparel which had done its duty； and earned its right to final retirement
from the scenewhen a plaintive cry reached my ear； through the open
door which led into the back garden。
I stopped； and looked at Mrs。 Finch。
The cry was repeated； louder and nearer： recognizable this time as a cry
in a child's voice。 The door of the room had been left ajar； when we sent
the messenger back to the nursery。 I threw it open； and found myself face
to face with Jicks in the passage。
I felt every nerve in my body shudder at the sight of the child。
The poor little thing was white and wild with terror。 She was incapable
of uttering a word。 When I knelt down to fondle and soothe her； she
caught convulsively at my hand； and attempted to raise me。 I got on my
feet again。 She repeated her dumb cry more loudlyand tried to drag me
out of the house。 She was so weak that she staggered under the effort。 I
took her up in my arms。 One of my hands； as I embraced her； touched the
top of her frock； just below the back of her neck。 I felt something on my
fingers。 I looked at them。 Gracious God！ I was stained with blood！
I turned the child round。 My own blood froze。 Her mother； standing behind
me； screamed with horror。
The dear little thing's white frock was spotted and splashed with wet
blood。 Not her own blood。 There was not a scratch on her。 I looked closer
at the horrid marks。 They had been drawn purposely on herdrawn； as it
seemed； with a finger。 I took her out into the light。 It was writing！ A
word had been feebly traced on the back of her frock。 I made out
something like the letter 〃H。〃 Then a letter which it was impossible to
read。
Then another next to it； which might have been 〃L；〃 or might have been
〃J。〃 Then a last letter； which I guessed to be 〃P。〃
Was the word〃Help〃？
Yes！traced on the back of the child's frock； with a finger dipped in
blood〃HELP。〃
CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH
Discoveries at Browndown
IT is needless to tell you at what conclusion I arrived； as soon as I was
sufficiently myself to think at all。
Thanks to my adventurous past life； I have got the habit of deciding
quickly in serious emergencies of all sorts。 In the present emergencyas
I saw itthere were two things to be done。 One； to go instantly with
help to Browndown： the other； to keep the knowledge of what had happened
from Lucilla until I could get back again； and prepare her for the
discovery。
I looked at Mrs。 Finch。 She had dropped helplessly into a chair。 〃Rouse
yourself！〃 I saidand shook her。 It was no time for sympathizing with
swoons and hysterics。 The child was still in my arms； fast yielding； poor
little thing； to the exhaustion of fatigue and terror。 I could do nothing
until I had relieved myself of the charge of her。 Mrs。 Finch looked up at
me； trembling and sobbing。 I put the child in her lap。 Jicks feebly
resisted being parted from me； but soon gave up； and dropped her weary
little head on her mother's bosom。 〃Can you take off her frock？〃 I asked；
with another shakea good one； this time。 The prospect of a domestic
occupation （of any sort） appeared to rouse Mrs。 Finch。 She looked at the
baby； in its cradle in one corner of the room； and at the novel； reposing
on a chair in another corner of the room。 The presence of these two
familiar objects appeared to encourage her。 She shivered； she swallowed a
sob； she recovered her breath； she began to undo the frock。
〃Put it away carefully；〃 I said； 〃and say nothing to anybody of what has
happened； until I come back。 You can see for yourself that the child is
not hurt。 Soothe her； and wait here。 Is Mr。 Finch in the study？〃
Mrs。 Finch swallowed another sob； and said； 〃Yes。〃 The child made a last
effort。 〃Jicks will go with you；〃 said the indomitable little Arab
faintly。 I ran out of the room； and left the three babiesbig； little；
and leasttogether。
After knocking at the study door without getting any reply； I opened it
and went in。 Reverend Finch； comfortably prostrate in a large arm…chair
（with his sermon…paper spread out in fair white sheets by his side）；
started up； and confronted me in the character of a clergyman that moment
awakened from a sound sleep。
The rector of Dimchurch instantly recovered his dignity。
〃I beg your pardon； Madame Pratolungo； I was deep in thought。 Please
state your business briefly。〃 Saying those words； he waved his hand
magnificently over his empty sheets of paper； and added in his deepest
bass： 〃Sermon…day。〃
I told him in the plainest words what I had seen on his child's frock；
and what I feared had happened at Browndown。 He turned deadly pale。 If I
ever yet set my two eyes on a man thoroughly frightened； Reverend Finch
was that man。
〃Do you anticipate danger？〃 he inquired。 〃Is it your opinion that
criminal persons are in； or near； the house？〃
〃It is my opinion that there is not a moment to be lost；〃 I answered。 〃We
must go to Browndown； and we must get what help we can on the way。〃
I opened the door； and waited for him to come out with me。 Mr。 Finch
（still apparently pre…occupied with the question of the criminal persons）
looked as if he wished himself a hundred miles from his own rectory at
that particular moment。 But he was the master of the house； he was the
principal man in the placehe had no other alternative； as matters now
stood； than to take his hat and go。
We went out together into the village。 My reverend companion was silent
for the first time in my limited experience of him。 We inquired for the
one policeman who patrolled the district。 He was away on his rounds。 We
asked if anybody had seen the doctor。 No： it was not the doctor's day for
visiting Dimchurch。 I