At last it was within half an hour of his bedtime,—Emma and Rose had long before gone to their cribs,—when Aunt Fanny's welcome voice was heard.
She looked very pale, and all knew at once that something must have happened. She motioned Josey to her side, and laid her head on his shoulder as he stood by. Presently she exclaimed,—
"I have seen a dreadful sight! Oh, I never can get it out of my mind! The screams and shrieks, I hear them yet!"
"What is it? do tell us," urged her sister.
"You know little Juley Lane, what a passionate child she has always been. I told Mrs. Lane the last time I was there, it wasn't safe to leave her with the baby. She didn't seem to have any love for him. Now she's killed him."
Josey gave a start and sob of horror, while Mrs. Codman exclaimed,—
"Shocking! terrible! how did it happen?"
"I was making calls," added Fanny, with a groan, "and I met Mrs. Lane. She was hurrying with a basket of clean clothes, and told me she'd been obliged to leave Juley with her old mother and the baby. I told her I was going to call, which relieved her anxiety, and she said she'd be home in a short time.
"Long before I reached the house I heard awful groans, and on opening the door, what a sight was before me.
"Mrs. Lane, thinking the baby would be safer, had tied him into the high chair, and set him in front of the stove. Julia had one of her fits of anger and pushed him over. His poor hands and face fell upon the hot iron and burned to a crisp. When I went in, the old woman had crawled on her hands and feet, to the place, and was trying, with her poor deformed fingers, to release him. Juley stood by, frightened and crying, but not able to do anything.