"It will shrink enough after we have had the fire a few days,"
replied Caroline. "If anything is done to it it will be too small;
there will be a crack at the sill."

"I think Henry ought to be ashamed of himself for talking as he did
to Edward," said Mrs. Brigham abruptly, but in an almost inaudible
voice.

"Hush!" said Caroline, with a glance of actual fear at the closed
door.

"Nobody can hear with the door shut."

"He must have heard it shut, and--"

"Well, I can say what I want to before he comes down, and I am not
afraid of him."

"I don't know who is afraid of him! What reason is there for
anybody to be afraid of Henry?" demanded Caroline.

Mrs. Brigham trembled before her sister's look. Rebecca gasped
again. "There isn't any reason, of course. Why should there be?"

"I wouldn't speak so, then. Somebody might overhear you and think
it was queer. Miranda Joy is in the south parlour sewing, you
know."

"I thought she went upstairs to stitch on the machine."