Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/319

Rh When the shriek came again, cousin Edward Elston, who knew her peculiarity, rushed toward her, and seized the  large fan which lay in her lap. “Don’t worry,” he cried, “it can’t be anything;” but when the third shriek came,  he rushed to the back of the house, where Mr. Barlow had  hastened at the first sound.

In a moment Brenda had followed them, filled with curiosity; while Julia remained with Mrs. Tolbaird and  the little girls on the front piazza.

“It was probably one of the servants,” she said, reassuringly. “They are very excitable. Probably the cook has seen a snake in the grass.”

“Do they have snakes here?” asked one of the younger girls, with interest.

“I have seen those tiny little green ones,” responded Julia; “but they would n’t hurt any one.”

“I think that this snake must have bitten Mary, she made such a noise,” said the second young cousin; and  then, somewhat to Julia’s relief, Brenda came around  the corner of the piazza, looking a little crestfallen.

Below the house, on the gravelled walk, Mr. Barlow and cousin Edward Elston quickly came in sight. They seemed to form a kind of guard over a strangely dressed  woman, with black hair, who carried a basket on her arm. Some distance behind walked the housemaids, and one or two other domestics, who all were talking and gesticulating very violently.

When Mr. Barlow reached the gate, he pointed up the road, and seemed to give Thomas some orders. The