et my clock by it."

"That'll do. Where is Miss Harston?"

"Upstairs, sir. She came back a-laughin' and a-jumpin' and as sassy as
you please to them as was old before she was born."

"Laughing!" said Girdlestone, raising his eyebrows. "She did not seem
in a laughing mood this morning. You don't think she has gone out of
her mind, do you?"

"I don't know nought about that. There was Rebecca came down here
a-cryin' 'cause she'd ordered her out of her room. Oh, she's mistress
of the house--there's no doubt about that. She'll be a-givin' of us
all the sack presently."

Girdlestone relapsed into silence, but his face showed that he was
puzzled by what he had heard.

Kate slept a sound and dreamless sleep that night. At her age trouble
is shaken from the young mind like water from the feathers of a duck.
It had been all very gloomy and terrible while it lasted, but now the
dawn of better days had come. She woke cheerful and light-hearted.
She felt that when once she was free she could forgive her guardian and
Rebecca and all of them--even Ezra. She would bury the whole hideous
incident, and never think of it or refer to it again.

She amused herself that morning by reckoning up in her mind what the
sequence of events would be in London, and how long it would be before
she heard from her friends. If Mrs. Scully had telegraphed, news would
have reached them last night. Probably she would write as well, giving
all the particulars about her. The post came in about nine o'clock, she
thought. Then some time would elapse before the major could find Tom.
After that, no doubt they would have to consider what had best be done,
and perhaps would go and consult with Dr. Dimsdale. That would occupy
the morning and part of the afternoon. They could hardly reach the
Priory before nightfall.

Ezra would be down by that time. On the Saturday before he had arrived
between five and six. A great dread filled her soul at the thought of
meeting the young merchant again. It was merely the natural instinct of
a lady shrinking from whatever is rough and coarse and antagonistic.
She had no conception of the impending danger, or of what his coming
might mean to her.

Mr. Girdlestone was more gracious to her than usual that morning at
breakfast. He seemed anxious to efface the remembrance of his fierce
and threatening words the day before. Rebecca, who waited upon them,
was astonished to hear the way in which he spoke.