They had not heard of the accident, and were quite startled by Lucy's excited manner.
"Oh, mamma!" she cried, jerking off her bonnet, and throwing herself down on a stool at her mother's feet, "we have had such a dreadful accident, or hardly an _accident_ either, for I feel perfectly certain Arthur did it on purpose; and I just expect he'll kill her some day, the mean, wicked boy!" and she burst into tears.

"If I were Mr.Dinsmore I'd have him put in jail, so I would," she sobbed.
"Lucy, my child, what _are_ you talking about ?" asked her mother with a look of mingled surprise and alarm, while Herbert started up asking, "Is it Elsie?
Oh! Lucy, is she much hurt ?" "Yes," sobbed Lucy, "we all thought she was dead, it was so long before she spoke, or moved, or even opened her eyes." Herbert was crying, too, now, as bitterly as his sister.
"But, Lucy dear," said her mother, wiping her eyes, "you haven't told us anything yet.

Where did it happen?
What did Arthur do?
And where is poor little Elsie now ?" "Her papa brought her home, and Jim went for the doctor, and they're doing something with her now in her own room--for Pomp said Mr.Dinsmore carried her right up there! Oh I mamma, if you had seen him look at Arthur!" "But what did Arthur do ?" asked Herbert anxiously.
"He pushed her down that steep hill that you remember you were afraid to try to climb the other day; at least we all think he did." "But surely, he did not do it intentionally," said Mrs.Carrington, "for why should he wish to harm such a sweet, gentle little creature as Elsie ?" "Oh! mamma," exclaimed Herbert, suddenly matching hold of her hand and he grew very pale, and almost gasped for breath.
"What is it, Herbert dear, what is it ?" she asked in alarm; for he had fallen back on his pillow, and seemed almost ready to faint.
"Mamma," he said with a shudder, "mamma, I believe I know.

Oh! why didn't I speak before, and, perhaps, poor little Elsie might have been saved all this." "Why, Herbert, what can _you_ know about it ?" she asked in extreme surprise.
"I will tell you, mama, as well as I can," he said, "and then you must tell me what I ought to do.

You know, mamma, I went out to walk with the rest the afternoon after that party at Mr.Carleton's; for if you remember, I had stayed at home the night before, and gone to bed very early, and so I felt pretty well and able to walk.