By-and-by, though, after their father had left them, and they had talked things over amongst themselves, some of Kitty’s remorse gave way to a rebellion against fate.  “How could they have known,” she demanded tragically, “that by just sitting on the garden wall that afternoon they were changing and spoiling their lives for ever, and giving Aunt Pike the chance she had been longing for, the chance of coming there to ‘boss’ them?  How was one to know what one might do and what one mightn’t?  What was the use of trying?  There was no going against ‘fate’!  If it was their fate to have everything spoilt by her, she would have come even if Jabez had never been hurt at all, and everything had been quite right and perfect.”

“I shall never sit on that old wall again without expecting something to happen,” said Betty in solemn tones.

“And you will never be disappointed after she comes,” Dan foreboded gloomily, “so it is just as well to be prepared.”  At which they all groaned in miserable chorus.

By-and-by they straggled downstairs again and out into the yard.  The house was really unbearably hot, and seemed too small to allow their minds to grasp all they had to grasp.  They had a sort of gloomy longing, too, to revisit the spot where so much had happened, to go over the familiar ground and see if the bright outer world looked different at all; there surely must be some sign of the tragedy that had befallen them.

In the outer world things had changed very much.  The sun had disappeared, and the sky was heavy and overcast with threatenings of the storm that had been brewing all the day; the old wall looked gray, and sad, and uninviting.

“Just as though it knew,” thought Kitty.

In the yard Prue was standing somewhat dejectedly, evidently waiting to be harnessed; Jabez was creeping about, getting out the carriage in preparation for a journey.  He looked quite imposing with his bandaged head, and he was taking himself very seriously.  He glanced furtively at the children, and bore himself with an air of patient but superior resignation.  In his heart he was really vexed with himself for having complained of them, though he felt it would not do to let them know it.

Betty, Dan, and Tony felt so bitterly the ill turn he had done them that they walked through the yard and up into the garden without a word or a glance—­a cut on the forehead seemed so trifling compared with what they had to bear.  Jabez, who had expected anger or teasing on their parts, felt this coldness greatly; he was not used to that kind of treatment, and it hurt him.  Kitty, though, was so struck by the sight of his preparations that for the moment she forgot him and his injuries.

“Father hasn’t to go out again to-night, has he, Jabez?” she asked anxiously, staying behind while the others strolled on.

“Yes, miss, he hev.  He’ve got to go to Welland to once.  They’ve just sent in.”