Gem turned and gazed at the last speaker, while a superstitious faith in the omen crept into her heart.
"There is nothing at all in it! I was only trying to amuse the poor child by the old love spell. I had no thought it would turn out this way," said Mrs. Winterose, glancing uneasily at Gem.
But Miss Tabby sighed, and Miss Libby shook her head, and Gem continued to look very grave.
"Well, I declare! I am out of all patience with Joe!" exclaimed the old lady, by way of changing the whole conversation. "It has been full forty minutes or more since I sent him after them cones! And now I am going to call him."
And so saying she went and opened the back door.
But she had no sooner done so, than she started with a cry of horror and fled back into the room.
And well she might!
Behind her came three men, bearing in their arms the mutilated and bleeding body of a third man!
Following them limped lame-legged Joe.
The affrighted women shrank back to the chimney corner, where they clung together in that dumb terror which is the deeper for its very silence.