Miss Dorinda felt pretty sure, in her secret heart, that they _wouldn't_ find Ladybird until that strange being was ready to be found; but she continued looking about in her placid way, which did no good nor harm. After an hour's search, the case did seem hopeless, and Mr. Marks declared he couldn't wait any longer; so Miss Priscilla reluctantly let him go away. Two more hours passed; and then it was five o'clock, and still no sign from the missing child. Although they hadn't confessed it to each other, the Flint ladies were both a little scared. Finally Miss Dorinda said: "You don't think she'd do anything rash, do you, sister?" "From the little I've seen of her," replied Miss Priscilla, "I should say that what she does is never anything but rash. However, I don't think she has drowned herself in the brook, or jumped down the well, if that's what you mean." That was what Miss Dorinda had meant, and somehow she was not very much reassured by her sister's word. They sat silent for a while; then Miss Dorinda, with a sudden impulse of determination such as she had never known in all her life, and, indeed, never experienced again, said: "Priscilla, I think you are doing wrong; and you needn't look at me like that. For once, I'm going to say what I think! This child has been sent to us, and in your secret heart you know it is our duty to keep her and do for her. The Bible says that those who neglect their own families are worse than infidels, and we have no right to turn away our kin. Your dislike of visitors has nothing to do with the matter. The child is not a visitor, as she says herself. And it makes no difference what kind of a child she is: she is our sister's daughter, and we are bound by every law of humanity and decency to give her a home. If father were alive, do you suppose he would turn his orphan grandchild from his door? No; he would do his duty by his own: he would be just, if he could not be generous; and he would accept a responsibility that was rightly thrust upon him." Miss Priscilla looked at her sister in utter amazement. Dorinda had never spoken like this before, and it seemed as if the spirit of old Josiah Flint was manifesting itself in his daughter. But if Miss Dorinda had acted in an unusual manner, Miss Priscilla proceeded to behave no less strangely. At the close of her sister's speech, she suddenly burst into tears; and the times in her life when Miss Priscilla Flint had cried were very few indeed. Then the younger sister was frightened at what she had done, and tried to pacify the weeping lady. "I know you're right, Dorinda," said Miss Priscilla, between her sobs; "I--I knew it all along,--and I suppose we shall have to keep her. Father would have wished it so,--and--and I wouldn't mind it so much if she wouldn't--wouldn't leave the doors open." CHAPTER VI UP A TREE