But there were other reasons
why she had fled to the seclusion of her chamber. It was necessary
that she should think of some plan to evade the humiliation of being
confronted by him, of being reminded by his presence, by his looks,
and maybe his words even, of the weak folly of which she was so
cruelly ashamed, and which she was trying to forget about.
Desperately, she resolved to make some excuse to fly to Pittsfield, to
be away from home when Perez was brought in. But no, she could think
of no excuse, not even the wildest pretense for thus precipitately
leaving a house full of guests, and taking a journey by dangerous
roads to make an uninvited visit. Perez must be warned, he must
escape, he must not be captured. Thus only could she see any way to
evade meeting him. But how could word be got to him? They marched at
dawn. There were but a few hours. There was his family. Surely, if
they were warned, they would find a way of communicating with him. She
had heard that he had a brother. Whatever she did she must do quickly,
before she was missed from the parlor and her mother came to her door
to ask if she were sick. There was no time to change her dress, or
even her shoes.
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