She had something in her hand--a paper. And she was running,
running. The Captain sat watching her.
"It's only a telegram!" she said breathlessly. "It came on by messenger."
The Captain got up and strode quickly a few paces forward toward this
telegram that had come. Then he tore it open and read.
We could see at once it must be something important. The Captain gave a
great gasp. Then he began walking down, running down, towards the house. A
little way off he turned round and called to Nils:
"The carriage at once! I must go to the station!"
Then he ran on again.
* * * * *
So the Captain went away again. He had only been home a few hours.
Ragnhild told us of his terrible haste and worry, poor man; he was getting
into the carriage without his fur coat, and would have left the food
behind him that was packed all ready. And the telegram that had come was
lying all open on the stairs.
"Accident," it said. "Your wife.--Chief of Police." What was all this?
"I thought as much," said Ragnhild, "when they sent it on by messenger.
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