ful sight. She felt as if she
were turning to stone with a sense of the awful thing she had done in
her mad passion; then suddenly seized with an overwhelming desire to
hide herself from all these eyes, that would presently be gazing
accusingly and threateningly at her, she hurried away to her own room,
and shut and locked herself in.

Her riding-whip was still in her hand. She tossed it on to the
window-sill, tore off her gloves, hat, and habit, and threw them aside,
then, dropping on her knees beside the bed, buried her face in the
clothes, sobbing wildly, "Oh, I've killed my little sister! my own dear
little baby sister! What shall I do? what shall I do?"

Moments passed that seemed like hours: faint sounds came up from below.
She heard steps and voices, and, "Was that mamma Vi crying,--crying as
if her heart would break? saying over and over again, 'My baby's dead!
my baby's dead! killed by her sister, her cruel, passionate sister!'
Would they come and take her (Lulu) to jail? Would they try her for
murder, and hang her? Oh! then papa's heart would break, losing two of
his children in such dreadful ways.

"Oh! wouldn't it break anyhow when he heard what she had done,--when he
knew the baby was dead, and that she had killed it, even if she should
not be sent to prison, and tried for murder?"

At length some one tried the door; and a little, sobbing voice said,
"Lulu, please let me in."

She rose, staggered to the door, and unlocked it. "Is it only you,
Gracie?" she asked in a terrified whisper, opening it just far enough to
admit the little slender figure.

"Yes: there's nobody else here," said the child. "I came to tell you the
baby isn't dead; but the doctor has come, and, I believe, he doesn't
feel sure she won't die. O Lu! how could you?" she asked with a burst of
sobs.

"O Gracie! I didn't do it on purpose! how could you think so? I mean, I
didn't know it was the baby: I thought it was that hateful dog."

"Oh, I'm glad! I couldn't b'lieve it, though some of them do!" exclaimed
Gracie in a tone of relief.

Then, with a fresh burst of tears and sobs, "But she's dreadfully hurt,
the dear little thing! I heard the doctor tell grandpa Dinsmore he was
afraid she'd never get over it; but he mustn't let mamma know yet,
'cause maybe she might."

Lulu paced the room, wringing her hands and sobbing like one distracted.

"O Gracie!" she cried, "I'd like to beat myself black and blue! I just
hope papa will come