"
Farnsworth obeyed her command.
The door was wide open, but Father Beret was not inside; he had
gone to see a sick child in the outskirts of the village. Alice
looked about and hesitated. She knew the very puncheon that
covered the flag; but she shrank from lifting it. There seemed
nothing else to do, however; so, after some trouble with herself,
she knelt upon the floor and turned the heavy slab over with a
great thump. The flag did not appear. She peeped under the other
puncheons. It was not there. The only thing visible was a little
ball of paper fragments not larger than an egg.
Farnsworth heard her utter a low cry of surprise or dismay, and
was on the point of going in when Father Beret, coming around the
corner of the cabin, confronted him. The meeting was so sudden and
unexpected that both men recoiled slightly, and then, with a
mutual stare, saluted.
"I came with a young lady to get the flag," said Farnsworth. "She
is inside. I hope there is no serious intrusion. She says the flag
is hidden under your floor."
Father Beret said nothing, but frowning as if much annoyed,
stepped through the doorway to Alice's side, and stooping where
she knelt, laid a hand on her shoulder as she glanced up and
recognized him.
"What are you doing, my child?"
"Oh, Father, where is the flag?" It was all that she could say.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202