Explore "The Purple Fern" by Fergus Hume on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
In the noise of the applause which greeted Osip and Zara, the terrified whisper of Mrs. Dumps passed unnoticed. The girl naturally searched for her mother, and she smiled, on catching sight of her, next to the pretended Ferdy Baird. The eyes of Osip followed those of Zara, and alighted on the pallid face of the country landlady. At once he bowed abruptly to the audience, and walked hurriedly from the stage, leaving Butterfly, rather discourteously, to follow at her leisure. Clarice, who had immediately grasped the significance of Mrs. Dumps' whisper, half rose, and tried to shake off the detaining grasp of the little woman.
"He's trying to escape," said Clarice, excitedly, and, as the applause had now ceased, several people overheard and looked round, inquiringly.