Page:Emma Speed Sampson--The shorn lamb.djvu/124

120 lost all control of herself and screamed aloud: "Daddy! Daddy! Save me!"

The sound of her own voice brought her to her senses. She realized that she was not in New York, that her stepfather was in truth dead and she was in a strange house belonging to hitherto unknown relations. She began to sob.

Somebody was coming and it was not the monster, because he was out of doors and the person who was coming was on the stairs. She tried vainly to hold back the sobs.

Then Major Taylor appeared, bearing a lighted candle. He had been reading when he had heard the shrill cry, "Daddy! Daddy! Save me!"

"What is it, my darling?" The old man's voice was strangely gentle.

What would his daughters and son have thought had they heard his tone of endearment and seen his tender expression as he gathered the trembling child to his hungry heart?

"What has frightened you?"

"Oh! That giant! Listen, can't you hear him breathe? And his heart beats so loud. A minute ago he caught something I think it was a child—its cry was so pitiful! I didn't mean to scream out so loud, but, sir, I thought