"Sure, _you'll_ have to be taught then, my fine sir, an' I'll tackle that job with the rest of to-morrow's." But when daylight broke and roused the active Cleena to begin her formidable task of scrubbing away the accumulated dirt of years there was no Fayette to be found. Dreamily, she recalled the sound of musical instruments, the shouts of voices, and the squealing of the rats that had hitherto been the tenants of "Spite House"; but which of these, if any, was answerable for the lad's absence, she could not guess. "Well, I was mindin' to keep him busy, had he stayed; but since he's gone, there's one mouth less to feed." It did not take the observant woman long to discover that the outlook for the comfort of "her folks" was even less by daylight than it had seemed the night before. Her heart sank, though she lost no time in useless regrets, and she did most cordially thank that "guardian angel" to whom she so constantly referred for having prevented her spending the last twenty-five dollars she possessed. This would long ago have wasted away had it not been placed in the care of that true friend of the family, Adam Burns, with whom her master and mistress had now taken refuge. "Alanna, that's luck! I was for usin' it long syne, but the old man wouldn't leave me do it. 'No, Cleena, thee's not so young as thee was, an' thee might be wantin' it for doctor's stuff,' says he. Twenty-five dollars! That'd pay the rent an' buy flour an' tea, an' what not;" and with cheerful visions of the unlimited power of her small capital, the old servant stooped to fill her apron with the stray chips and branches the bare place afforded. At that moment there fell upon her ears the familiar sound of Pepita and Balaam braying in concert for their breakfast. "Now what's to feed _them_ is more nor I know; yet never a doubt I doubt it would clean break the colleen's heart must she part with her neat little beast." The braying roused Hallam and Amy, also, from a night of dreamless sleep; and as they passed out from the musty house into the crisp air of a frosty morning, they felt more cheerful than they considered was quite the proper thing, under the circumstances. Then Amy looked at her brother and laughed. "Isn't it splendid after the rain? and isn't it funny to be here? Yesterday it seemed as if the world had come to an end, and now it seems as if it had just been made new." "'Every morn is a fresh beginning,'" quoted Hallam, who loved books better than his sister did. "Let's go down to the gate, or place where a gate should be, and take a good look at our--home." "All right. Though we've seen it at a distance, I suppose it will appear differently to us at near hand." "And uglier. Oh, but it's horrid! _horrid!_" and with a sudden revulsion of feeling Amy buried her face in her hands and began to cry. "I hate it. I won't stay here. I will not. I'd rather go home and live in the old stable than here."