"I hope that will not be necessary."
Mrs. Keith came up to them.
"Harebell, go into the house. Until you confess your fault you are in disgrace."
Harebell turned disconsolately away. Colonel Keith said something to her aunt, which she could not hear, but she heard her aunt's clear cold voice reply:
"It is her mother over again! I warned her when she came to me. There is no mistake. She disobeyed, told a lie, and sticks to it. I will not undertake the charge of her any more. I shall send her to a strict school, for I will not be responsible for her training."
With despair in her heart, Harebell crept indoors.
The following days were very unhappy ones. She grew very quiet, moped about the house, lost her appetite, did not sleep at nights, and got a peaked white look upon her face. But as time passed, she grew accustomed to her aunt's cold displeasure, and as no more was said, began to hope that perhaps she would not carry out her threat.
The summer holidays came. The Rectory children went away to the seaside with their parents.
For over a month, Harebell had not been allowed to ride out on Chris; but now, owing to her uncle's intercession, she was permitted to begin her rides again.
Mrs. Keith hardly ever took any notice of her, but at last one day she called her to her.