One by one she took the boxes on which the rude coffin of her brother had rested, and threw them far out the back door.

She straightened the furniture around fiercely, as if by erasing every sign she would force from memory the thought of the scenes that had just passed.

She took her brother's coat that hung against the wall, and an old pipe from the mantle, and hid them in the room that was hers.

Then she looked about for something else to be done.
A shadow darkened the sunny doorway.

Looking up, she saw the man she believed to be her brother's murderer.
"I came back, Bess, to see if I could do anything for you." The tone was kind; but the girl involuntarily put her hand to her throat, and caught her breath.