Page:Dorothy's spy; a story of the first "fovrth of Jvly" celebration, New York, 1776.djvu/56

Rh vault-like receptacle for fuel to hide from view the unsightly bricks.

Standing here, frantically embracing each other, the new costumes received yet further injury from the soot which was exposed to the touch once the green screen had been trampled down, and even the children's faces and hands were soon stained black in spots and streaks, which would have caused them great merriment but for the terror which had taken possession of both.

Here the trembling girls heard Scipio as, with difficulty, he forced back the bolt of the lock with the ponderous key; then came the creaking of the door when it was opened, and the tears began to flow down Dorothy's soot-begrimed face as she understood that now they were alone in the big house so full of terrifying shadows and possibilities for fear.

"He has gone out!" Sarah whispered amid her sobs, and Dorothy replied in a choking voice:

"We're all alone now, and if God don't take care of us we shall have a terrible time of it!"

"If your mother was here!" Sarah wailed softly. "Of course God looks after children; but we can't see Him, and we could any human folks who were with us!"

Then came a time of silence, during which the girls listened in fear and trembling; but without being able to distinguish any very fearful noises.