Carolina was still unconscious when they brought her in. Kate caught a glimpse of her still, white face as they carried her up-stairs. She waited with feverish impatience for the doctor’s verdict, with her mind full of Carolina’s awful words. "I knew it!" she kept whispering to herself through a rain of tears. "God always gets even with people who dare Him to do His worst!" It seemed hours before Doctor Colfax finally came out, with his refined face full of pain. "Is she dead?" whispered Kate, catching at his arm. He shook his head. "Disfigured?" continued Kate, with growing anxiety. "Worse!" said the doctor. "She has broken her hip badly. Even if she recovers, she will be lamed for life!" Kate covered her mouth to repress a scream. Beautiful Carolina lamed for life! "Crutches?" whispered Kate. "I am afraid so!" said the doctor, with a deep sigh. "I am going to have a consultation. We will do everything we can to preserve her health--and her beauty, poor child!" Kate turned away in a passion of tears, well knowing that to Carolina’s proud spirit dependence would be far worse than death. Bad news travels on the wings of the wind, and before the day was over Carolina’s accident was on everybody’s tongue. Her sister-in-law was indignant, in a sense outraged by Carolina’s behaviour. She blamed her first of all for existing in her radiant youth and beauty and so far outshining her own modest charms. She blamed her secondly for permitting Sherman to lose her money and thus make it Addie’s duty to offer her a home. She blamed her thirdly, and most bitterly of all, for injuring herself so hopelessly that she could never marry, thus placing herself upon Addie to support for life. Was ever a more unkind fate invented? Addie’s temper, never of the best, burst all bounds as this situation became plain to her, and she expressed herself fluently to Sherman, who felt himself included in her misfortunes as part author of them. It was an unhappy time for all concerned, for Carolina’s bitter denunciations of her fate and her grief over her dependence could hardly be checked even in the presence of Kate and her family, whose hospitality and friendship, so generously offered, put the girl under at least civilized bonds of restraint. There were times, however, when she was alone, that she relapsed into such a savage state that she tore her hair and bit her own tender flesh. The sight of such rebellion reduced even Kate’s mutinous nature to peace and quiet by contrast, and Kate was developed into a gentle friend of Christian sentiments by Carolina’s great need.