They said she whipped her mercilessly for every little fault or mistake . Some folks talked of writing to the asylum authorities but everybody 's business is nobody 's business and it was never done . '' `` I am sorry that Wiley person is dead , '' said Susan fiercely . `` I should like to go over-harbour and give her a piece of my mind . Starving and beating a child , Mrs. Dr. dear ! As you know , I hold with lawful spanking , but I go no further . And what is to become of this poor child now , Mrs. Marshall Elliott ? '' `` I suppose she must be sent back to Hopetown , '' said Miss Cornelia . `` I think every one hereabouts who wants a home child has one . I 'll see Mr. Meredith to-morrow and tell him my opinion of the whole affair . '' `` And no doubt she will , Mrs. Dr. dear , '' said Susan , after Miss Cornelia had gone . `` She would stick at nothing , not even at shingling the church spire if she took it into her head . But I can not understand how even Cornelia Bryant can talk to a minister as she does . You would think he was just any common person . '' When Miss Cornelia had gone , Nan Blythe uncurled herself from the hammock where she had been studying her lessons and slipped away to Rainbow Valley . The others were already there . Jem and Jerry were playing quoits with old horseshoes borrowed from the Glen blacksmith . Carl was stalking ants on a sunny hillock . Walter , lying on his stomach among the fern , was reading aloud to Mary and Di and Faith and Una from a wonderful book of myths wherein were fascinating accounts of Prester John and the Wandering Jew , divining rods and tailed men , of Schamir , the worm that split rocks and opened the way to golden treasure , of Fortunate Isles and swan-maidens . It was a great shock to Walter to learn that William Tell and Gelert were myths also ; and the story of Bishop Hatto was to keep him awake all that night ; but best of all he loved the stories of the Pied Piper and the San Greal .
He read them thrillingly , while the bells XXXXX the Tree Lovers tinkled in the summer wind and the coolness of the evening shadows crept across the valley .
after among as at for if into of on to