The Heritage of Cain Author:Isabel Ostrander Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III The Tragedy Of The Dark " TTTHAT can be keeping Victoria? Do you suppose T T V she has overslept?" Mrs. Ashley, Robin, and Dysart were gathered... more » on the veranda an hour later, awaiting the appearance of the hostess and the sound of the breakfast-gong. "By Jove, it is late!" said Robin, looking at his watch. "I wonder what is delaying breakfast. Did you see Victoria this morning, Dysart? Maybe she has a headache, and doesn't feel like getting up." "I didn't see her—I tapped at her door as I passed and called out to her to hurry down." "Suppose I run up to her room and tell her we've been out on the lake and we're all starving—shall I?" suggested Mrs. Ashley, a bit anxiously. "I hope she isn't ill." "We'll send Mary up," replied Robin, ringing the bell. "We can begin breakfast without Victoria if she is still resting." A kitchen-maid appeared in answer to the bell—a painfully shy and embarrassed young woman, who twisted her reddened hands awkwardly in her apron at thus unexpectedly being thrust into a situation new to her. "I had to answer the bell, sir. Mary, the housemaid —me and cook can't find her nowheres, sir. She ain't anywheres in the house or around. Her things is all in her room, but upset like, and she's gone!" "Gone!" echoed Robin sharply. "Where can she have gone?" "I don't know, sir. There ain't anywheres up here for her to go to, but we can't find her. The last we seen of her was when she took Mrs. Van Rensselacr's chocolate up to her. Shall I serve breakfast, sir?" "Yes," Dysart spoke in reply. Then as she disappeared : "Victoria's had her chocolate, so she's probably dressing. We won't wait for her." "If you don't mind, I'll go up for just a minute and speak to her," said Mrs. Ashley, rising. "I won't he long." ' .; "...« less