'More changes than you think for, may happen though, my dear,' said
Dot. 'Changes for the better, I mean; changes for great joy to
some of us. You mustn't let them startle you too much, if any such
should ever happen, and affect you? Are those wheels upon the
road? You've a quick ear, Bertha. Are they wheels?'

'Yes. Coming very fast.'

'I--I--I know you have a quick ear,' said Dot, placing her hand
upon her heart, and evidently talking on, as fast as she could to
hide its palpitating state, 'because I have noticed it often, and
because you were so quick to find out that strange step last night.
Though why you should have said, as I very well recollect you did
say, Bertha, "Whose step is that!" and why you should have taken
any greater observation of it than of any other step, I don't know.
Though as I said just now, there are great changes in the world:
great changes: and we can't do better than prepare ourselves to be
surprised at hardly anything.'

Caleb wondered what this meant; perceiving that she spoke to him,
no less than to his daughter. He saw her, with astonishment, so
fluttered and distressed that she could scarcely breathe; and
holding to a chair, to save herself from falling.

'They are wheels indeed!' she panted. 'Coming nearer! Nearer!
Very close! And now you hear them stopping at the garden-gate!
And now you hear a step outside the door--the same step, Bertha, is
it not!--and now!' -

She uttered a wild cry of uncontrollable delight; and running up to