prayed mutely. Emily fell into a troubled slumber which lasted until the grey dawn crept into the lookout. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Aunt Laura—looked through her—looked beyond her.
“I see her coming over the fields,” she said in a high, clear voice. “She is coming so gladly—she is singing—she is thinking of her baby—oh, keep her back—keep her back—she doesn’t see the well—it’s so dark she doesn’t see it—oh, she’s gone into it—she’s gone into it!”
Emily’s voice rose in a piercing shriek which penetrated to Aunt Elizabeth’s room and brought her flying across the hall in her flannel nightgown.
“What is wrong, Laura?” she gasped.
Laura was trying to soothe Emily, who was struggling to sit up in bed. Her cheeks were crimson and her eyes had still the same far, wild look.
“Emily—Emily, darling, you’ve just had a bad dream. The old Lee well isn’t open—nobody has fallen into it.”
“Yes, somebody has,” said Emily shrilly. “She has—I saw her—I saw her—with the ace of hearts on her forehead. Do you think I don’t know her?”
She fell back on her pillow, moaned, and tossed the hands which Laura Murray had loosened in her surprise.
The two ladies of New Moon looked at each other across her bed in dismay—and something like terror.
“Who did you see, Emily?” asked Aunt Elizabeth.
“Ilse’s mother—of course. I always knew she didn’t do that dreadful thing. She fell into the old well—she’s there now—go—go and get her out, Aunt Laura. Please.”
“Yes—yes, of course we’ll get her out, darling,” said Aunt Laura, soothingly.
Emily sat up in bed and looked at Aunt Laura again. This time she did not look through her—she
