ake out where she was. The
sun was shining through a rift in the loft door, Tib was gone, cocks
were crowing outside, all the world was up and busy. She could hear
Ben's gruff voice and the clanking of chains and harness, and soon he
and the three horses had left the stable and gone out to their day's
work. It must be late, therefore, and she must lose no time in
presenting herself at the house. Perhaps it might be possible, she
thought, to get up to her attic without seeing anyone, and tidy herself
a bit first; she should then have more courage to face her aunt, for at
present with her rough hair and pieces of hay and straw clinging to her
clothes, she felt like some little stray wanderer. She approached the
house cautiously and peeped in at the back door before entering, to see
who was in the kitchen. Bella was there talking to Molly, whose broad
red face was thrust eagerly forward as though she were listening to
something interesting. They were indeed so deeply engaged that Lilac
felt sure they would not notice her, and she took courage and went in.

"It's a mercy she wasn't killed," Molly was saying. "She's no light
weight to fall, isn't the missus."

"It's completely upset me," said Bella in a faint voice, with one hand
on her heart. "I tremble all over still."

"And to think," said Molly, "as it was only yesterday I said to myself,
`I'll darn that carpet before I'm an hour older'."

"Well, it's a pity you didn't," said Bella sharply; "just like your
careless ways."

Molly shook her head.

"'Twasn't to _be_," she said. "'Twasn't for nothing that I spilt the
salt twice, and dreamt of water."

"The doctor says it's a bad sprain," continued Bella; "and it's likely
she'll be laid up for a month. Perfect rest's the only thing."

"_I_ had a cousin," said Molly triumphantly, "what had a similar
accident. A heavy woman she was, like the missus in build. Information
set in with _her_ and she died almost immediate."

Lilac did not wait to hear more; she made her escape safely to her
attic, and soon afterwards found Agnetta and learnt from her the history
of the accident. Mrs Greenways had had a bad fall; she had caught her
foot in a hole in the carpet and twisted her ankle, and the doctor said
it was a wonder she had not broken any bones. Everyone in the house had
so much to say, and was so excited about this misfortune, that Lilac's
little adventure was passed over without notice, and the scolding s