“Oh, Rebby, let me go! I can’t go home! I can’t!” exclaimed Anna, breaking away from her sister’s clasping hand and darting ahead.
Rebecca had not heard Anna’s last words, and thought her sister wished only to outrun her in the race home. So she ran quickly after her, and when at the turn by the blacksmith shop she lost sight of Anna she only thought that the younger girl was hidden by the turn of the path, and not until she pushed open the kitchen door did Rebecca realize that Anna had run away from her, that she had not meant to come home.
“Just in time,” said Mr. Weston, drawing Rebecca in and closing the door against a gust of wind and rain. “But why did you not bring Danna home? It has set in for a heavy storm, and she will now have to stay the night at Mr. Foster’s.”
CHAPTER IV
AT MR. LYON’S
Anna raced back along the path to the bluff as fast as she could go; but the strong wind swept against her, and at times nearly blew her over. The rain came down in torrents; and, as it had grown dark with the approaching storm, she could no longer see her way clearly, and stubbed her toes against roots and stones until her feet were hurt and bleeding.
But she could not stop to think of this: she could think only of Melvina, cowering, wet and afraid, under the juniper bushes.
“Perhaps she will be blown down the slope into the river,” thought Anna, “and it will be my fault. Perhaps I have killed Melvina, by trying to make myself out as cleverer than she. Oh! If she is only safe I’ll never try to be clever again,” she vowed, as she fought her way on against wind and rain.