ont door when they get
here, or my father will fear I am lost."

Mr. Lyon smiled as he saw his little girl standing in the doorway, and
his troubled look vanished. But Luretta looked flushed and angry. All
the morning she had been sitting on the log waiting for Mr. Lyon, and
when he came at last she had hurried home only to find that her mother
had not seen either of the girls, and Luretta had run after Mr. Lyon to
tell him this, and accompanied him to the door.

"I will walk home with Luretta," Anna said with unusual meekness.
Melvina watched them go, a little frightened at the end of the morning's
fun. She did not know what they could say to Luretta to explain their
mischief. At that moment London came into the front entry.

"I'se seen strange sights this mornin', massa!" he said, rolling his
eyes. "I'se seen white witches flyin' out ob dis house."

"London! Do not talk of such wickedness," said Mr. Lyon sharply. "Even
your little mistress is amused at such absurd talk," for Melvina,
knowing what London had seen, was laughing heartily. But London, shaking
his head solemnly, went back to the kitchen, sure that he had seen a
strange and awful sight, and resolved to speak to Mr. Lyon again of the
matter.

"Well, Danna Weston! You can't have one of my rabbits now, after
treating me this way," said Luretta. "And I am not going to walk home
with you, either," and she ran swiftly ahead.

Anna did not hurry after her, as Luretta hoped and expected. She began
to feel very unhappy. Trit and Trot were gone, and who could tell but
the skirts and bonnets might not strangle them? Then, suddenly, she
remembered that Rebecca was at home ill, and that she had entirely
forgotten her, and the young checkerberry leaves she had intended
picking for her sister. She put the thought that it was all Melvina's
fault out of her mind. Even if it were, had not she, Anna, led Melvina
into a more serious trouble on the day of the tempest? She resolved that
she would take all the blame of the lost rabbits, that Melvina should
not even be questioned about them if she could help it. But it was a
very sober little girl who went up the path toward home.

CHAPTER IX

REBECCA'S VISIT

Before Anna reached home Rebecca had decided that she must see Lucia
Horton as soon as possible; for she began to fear that Lucia in some way
might betray their secret; but Rebecca knew that her mot