really must be going now," said Sibyl with a little shiver.
"Good-by; tell Dan I'll try hard to come and see him to-morrow."

She turned the pony's head and cantered down the lane. She did not
consider Mrs. Scott a specially nice old woman.

"She's a gloomy sort," thought the child, "she takes a gloomy view. I
like people who don't take gloomy views best. Perhaps she is something
like old Scott; having lived with him so long as his wife, perhaps
they have got to think things the same way. Old Scott looked very
solemn when he said that it was a terrible thing to have the curse of
the poor. I wonder what Micah Sorrel did. I am sorry she told me about
him, I don't like the story. But there, why should I blame Mrs. Scott,
for I asked her to 'splain what a curse was. I 'spect I'm a very queer
girl, and I didn't really keep my whole word. I said positive and
plain that I would take a basket of apples to Dan, and go and sit with
him. I did take the apples, but I didn't go in and sit with him. Oh,
dear, I'll have to go back by the churchyard. I hope Micah Sorrel
won't be about. I shouldn't like to see him, he must be shrunk up so
awful by now. Come along, pony darling, we'll soon be back home
again."

Sibyl lightly touched the pony's ears with a tiny whip which Lord
Grayleigh had given her. He whisked his head indignantly at the motion
and broke into a trot, the trot became a canter, and the canter a
gallop.

Sibyl laughed aloud in her enjoyment. They were now close to the
churchyard. The sun was getting near the horizon, but still there was
plenty of light.

"A little faster, as we are passing the churchyard, pony pet," said
Sybil, and she bent towards her steed and again touched him, nothing
more than a feather touch, on his arched neck. But pony was spirited,
and had endured too much stabling, and was panting for exercise; and,
just at that moment, turning abruptly round a corner came a man waving
a red flag. He was followed by a procession of school children, all
shouting and racing. The churchyard was in full view.

Sibyl laughed with a sense of relief when she saw the procession.
She would not be alone as she passed the churchyard, and doubtless
Micah Sorrel would be all too wise to make his appearance, but the
next instant she gave a cry of alarm, for the pony first swerved
violently, and then rushed off at full gallop. The red flag had
startled him, and the children's shouts were the final straw.

"Not quite so