Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 1).djvu/241

 'I have been away on the sea,' said Musa, and passed on; the girl called after her.

'He is loose on the country, so they say, he has got away somewhere; I thought you might know. But you have never a word for any one, you graceless, sullen thing.'

Musa passed on along the line of sun-baked stone-faced houses with their middens stinking in front of them, and beyond the middens the rotten seaweeds, the salt and clammy beach.

She reached her home in a few moments; the house was closed as it had been at midnight, and was quite as still. She was not frightened at that, since often Joconda went far afield with the old mule, and shut her dwelling closely in her absence. Perhaps Joconda had gone to seek for her, herself, alarmed at her being away so long upon the water;—so she thought.

She tried the house door; the dog was howling low within. She could not stir the door, which fastened inside with ancient iron bolts and locks. She unslipped the stable shutter as before, and by the stable entered the house as in the night. The