I sruggled like a fiend. But ted, tigleman fall ba    and tart up and begin to turn. I sa o t sight of her eyes, I shrieked again.

        ting my ing. t let    you fug let her go—!

        But t and gravel as t up its speed; a , t. Noor came foro ie. to to pull me closer to t let tting a be. Sed me up teps t led to t door, as if I mighers in a bag.

        Nos trouble tors?

        o my ear,    I     my ook it sharply back.

        Oh! she cried. her grip grew slack. Oh! Oh!

        Sed, said Dr Cie. I t alking about    me. ook a    a blow.

        Fods sake, I cried,    you ricked me, tricked me—!

        t t, time; and as I turned in    me s of oma sucors did not see. I gave a jerk, and s again. s! she said.

        atch your hands! called Dr Graves. She may snap.

        Meano tle    anot-sleeves. t look like doctors. t hold of my ankles.

        Keep eady, said Dr Graves. S out s.

        I could not tell t I    in a fit, but only    t me; t I    a lunatic, but sane as t say anytrying to find my breatraigs rose to my knees. I began to be afraid of ts rising    made me t about, I suppose.

        igie.    out a t flat spoon, made of o my side and    to my mouteet         me. I t I s it, to keep it from going do. It tasted bad.

        I still t must have gone in, before mine.

        akes it! s rigeady.    Dr Graves. to t room? I think so. Nurse Spiller?

        t    . I saurned so t t o t t and began tle again. I    tleman and Maud. I omac by t, o me into a room, they would kill me.

        A t ster grip on my ankle.

        A very bad case, said Dr Cie. o my face. t least.    be afraid, Mrs Rivers! e kno you. e are your friends. e    you o make you well.

        I tried to speak. ried to say. But t also made me dribble; and a bit of dribble fle of my moutruck Dr Cies c I    it. Any his handkerchief.

        Very good, o t ake her.

        t of doors and a room; to a landing, anotried to study t t only so many drab-coloured ceilings and er about a minute I kne me deep into t I . I could not cry out. t    my t, and I still aircase took me do, saying, to you, Mr Bates, and, at, its a tig be, not a sack of feathers

        no a trunk or a piano. Not once did to une, and to beat out time of it, h his finger-ends, on my leg.

        topped. Careful, nohey said.

        t doook    tle pus, t, I found I staggered and fell. I fell upon my . One of to take it.    from it. Please, I said.

        You may say please, noo teps. Look tle devil!

        S    to me. Noers, or Rivers? Does he?

        Please, I said again. I aint Mrs Rivers. S Mrs Rivers? , Mr Bates? And I aint Nurse Spiller, I dare say. And Mr    himself. Very likely.

        So me, and s my ; and s say s sed me    me fall; and me being just then so dazed and so weak, I fell badly.

        ts for crag my face, s on stairs, or a roof. Crack me again—s oo. ts noto me.    small little ? Used to better, are you? I s Ive    keep ladies maids, es. till stood, c them over?

        I supposed s to strip me bare;    on to my knees and ted from her.

        You may call c. You aint having my dress.

        ch, am I? she answered. ell!

        And so a fist, and s me.

        I e dodger and t I . t out of my    my o my face, and lay doo getting goics, and rick for it; a s    and took t. took my garters, and togs, and finally my hair-pins.

        tood, darker-faced ting.

        tticoat and sll be no business of ours. You -Mrs-Rivers? You sit in t, and steemper from a fit. Kick all you like in    out your joints, gue off. Keep you quiet. e prefers t, makes our job nicer.

        S, and s me. t    me, and docake my stogs and stays. I o , and tling grew very mucer.

        I could no longer , I got to my feet. trembling. I    to put too fine a point on it, properly funked. I , on my ko to look at tself y vas, padded rahe walls were covered in padded

        vas, too. t. t, very mu and staitle tin pot I    to piddle in. t came in green and dark, like ter in a pond.

        I stood and looked at it all, in a sort of daze— t on t it    t struck. turned bay fio it—to to to to try and pull it. But it ig ood plug at it I began to make out little dints and tears in ty vas—little crests, ood all at once must be t by tics—all tics, I mean— room before me. t t I anding, doing just epped a. I flung myself back, and began to beat at t.

        range. O me in or! help!    you hear me? I coughed again. help!    you hear me—?

        And so on. I stood and called, and coug upon topping, noo put my ear to it, to try to tell if t be anyone near—for I t say oo t o lunatics calling, and    to mind. So tried ting, I put t and ttle tin pot t to rea pot buckled, and t slithered and I fell.

        At last I sat on tears stung me. I put my fiips to my y

        s my    to take t, and it lay all about my sook up a lengt, meaning to b it, some of it came a say I    I t of a girl I k , perer; but t muc, after all. In t up and put it in a er.

        And as I did t, I sa looked like a crumpled art, at first; t it     of my bosom    of sig, and one of its buttons was crushed.

        It    glove of Mauds, t I aken t m from    to o, as a keepsake of her.

        I picked it up and tur over and over in my    myself funked, a minute before— funking o    no t glove, trick t sleman o anot to anotried to be still, it ing on needles and pins—I started up, g out and sing. I t of all my time at Briar,    of t,     you? I o o    mind him, miss. he loves you, miss. Marry him. he loves you.

        like this . . .

        Oing of it, even no really ed. I     slap, slap, slap on t to my mout it. ed er of. It —t

        bitake, t— Oo t aken . to t o to t so tlemans o touco to think—!

        to t of    ears. to t, if I ened, I mig I? mighe sound of her sighs.

        I could not bear it. I fot, for t, ttle detail of urned my orick bayself. I ed t glove, until t beyond to look at me. No-one brougogs. And t first, from all t last I greired I found I must lie upon t or drop, I became cold; and t get warm again.

        I did not sleep. From t of ten, queer noises—ss, and runni and, oors    some    it began to rain, and ter    drip against t and began to t of Maud, but of Cy place beside ing for me. ?

        leman go to     t, so bury.—I t of my funeral, and    in marso prove it. Could t say I aken my s.

        , I kne. But Mrs Sucksby    believe    me out. S kept me seventeen years to lose me noil she found me!

        ts , as I gre I must only speak ors and take a me go; but t any like t.

        And er, after all?—I would kill her.

        You    see tle idea I he fix I was really in.

        m, t came bae. S es and Mr     t t out and    big o tood and looked me over. Nurse Spiller said,

        here she is.

        ther, who was dark, said,

        Young, to be mad.

        Listen . I    to my feet and put my petticoat straigidied my en . I am not tors suppose me to be, at all. t lady, and    about everybody; and it is very important t tors kno, so I may be let out and t. I—

        Rig h her head.

        S o o , fai mark of crimson. My o black. But I said, still carefully,

        I am sorry I    your face. I o be brougic;        to e.

        Again tood and looked me over.

        You must call us nurse    last. But bet speak to us at all. e    muc be bat Doctor Cie may look at you. You must be put in a gotle girl! You must be no more teen.

        So catc my arm. I drew away from her.

        ill you listen to me? I said.

        Listen to you? La, if I listeo all this house, I should go mad myself. e on, now.

        arted off mild, grech.

        I said, If youll only not touc.

        eful, Im sure.

        Sugged against o    ted me, more or less dragged me, out of t—Nurse Spiller got t o my arm-pit, and jabbed. You t see bruises in an arm-pit. I t. S.

        ts my    of tighter and shook me.

        t. I aking—at t of t ss part.    o nurses. e met ts, or bottles, or ss.

        Good m, t.

        Good m, my nurses answered.

        Ne last,    me. e up from the pads? Is she bad?

        Cracked Nan the cheek.

        Sled. t she?

        Sixteen, if shes a day.

        Im seventeen, I said.

        t me, in a sidering sort of way.

        Ser a minute.

        Aint shough?

        s rouble? Delusions?

        And t, said the one—you know?

        terested. too slig.

        ell, they e in all sizes . . .

        I didnt kno. But being rao study, and talk and smile over, made me as silent. t off on igook me, doo a little room. It migry—it iless pantry, at Briar—for t do sig er in ty flannel.

        you? Lets see you wash.

        ter    my fad arms, to was.

        t ie cares y your toes are? s see your linen. S urned o Nurse Spiller, ? too good for

        tll boil up to not ug. You take t off, dear. e s, quite safe, against t, are you shy?

        S e our time. And you, a married lady.

        I aint married, I said. And Ill to keep your    my oogs and sie, and then youll be sorry.

        t me and laughed.

        y-toity! cried ts no use gro s noto me and Nurse Spiller, its t, look, and a gown and—look here—slippers.

        So one of t out a set of greyiss. So me,     ripped me bare. ook off my petticoat, t glove of Mauds fell out. I    uband. I bent and caug up. s t? t o    titc.

        s pretty    is.

        You s ! I cried, snatc back. taken my clot I orn and bitten t glove all nig o take it, I siced a look in my eye.

        One gloves no use, after all, said to Nurse Spiller, quietly. And remember Miss taylor,    sake t tried to get a hose!

        So t me keep it; and tood limp ahes were

        all mad ead of laces, and oo big for me.—Never mind, ts like boats. Plenty of room fro to be a tartan, but togs he shoes were of india-rubber.

        ting t, in those!

        te a mi me in t into plaits; and took out a needle and cotton, ao my head.

        Its t it, truggled; and no skin off my her way.

        Let me see to it, said Nurse Spiller. S off—times, as if by act, putting t of to my scalp. t is anot dont ss and bruises.

        And so, bet me ready; and took me to t o be mine.

        Mind, noing off your he pads, or plunge you.

        t fair! I said. t fair, at all!

        t ans and, again, tried o study took me. I    from a picture, or a play—of    like it. I t, t me in tors and nurses live. Noake me to t.—I t     door after drab-coloured door, and I began to look about me and see little t rong    tc ugly locks; and t looked as t, if you turhem,

        ring bells. And finally it broke upoer all; t it lemans    to ures and looking-glasses on to    t no o mad it s    and self.

        And I t say er all.

        I sep, t stumbled. ts were o walk in.

        e on, said Nurse Spiller, giving me a prod.

        ? asked t the doors.

        Fourteen. here we are.

        All ttle plates screo topped at one of t a key to tur. t it on a c.

        took us into    a proper room, but     top, t let in lig, but ts o, along    ting dressed. One bed was bare.

        to be yours, said Nurse Spiller, takio it. It . ts our questionable ladies. try a queer trick    it. S you, Nurse Ba?

        t room. O t made    and pink, like sausages—an unlucky ailment, I suppose, for someone o rub ten. S all they had,

        Young, aint you?

        Sixteen, said the dark nurse.

        Seventeen, I said.

        Sixteen? e s    for Betty. Look ty!    ye. I s of stairs. I s    y?

        So a    t fat stomac    first; but    a simpleton. S me in a troubled sort of    later t t, and    of c—ter of a very grand family.

        S a fe my feet—as if to see for    be, really. At last one of tly,

        Dont mind tty. to provoke you.

        o you? said Nurse Spiller at once.

        t, and very pale in t my eye, then glanced away as if ashamed.

        S I looked at    Betty, and at tood, gazing at not t, for all I kne be so many maniacs; and o make a bed among t to the nurses. I said,

        I    stay    make me.

        t    it?

        But take!

        Nurse Ba yawned and rolled s enough.

        My name aint Maud, I ansell you? It aint Maud Rivers!

        S Nurse Bas eye. ? S, by the hour.

        Nurse Ba put o hem.

        Dont care to speak nicely? s t a suation as a nurse. See . Spoil e little hough.

        Still rubbing    , s mine. I gazed    them behind my back. I said,

        I only got e to a lady. It    lady t tricked me. I—

        Maid to a lady! t t take t plenty girls suppose t o s    is. e so put you in tch.

        I stamped my foot.

        For fucks sake! I cried.

        t stopped t    me again about t as before—t so    t and gave a cry. Betty, t girl, began to moan.

        t tors due, any minute.

        S me stagger a straigors o t to Betty, to bully    of ears. to the old woman.

        You finisening your buttons, you creature! sake your    your moutant.    I told you a imes, you s, and ow why I warn you, we should all be glad if you did . . .

        I looked at t it open, and I    from t to

        ours—and t    meant tors were ing.

        And I t, after all, t I ster case for myself in standing and talking quietly ie, t s. I moved close to my bed, putting my ko it to keep my leg from trembling; and I felt for my o tidy it—fetting, for t, t tity    off, running. t of us stood in silence, listening out for tors footsteps. Nurse Spiller s me.

        You gue, you trollop, she said.

        e ed for about ten miir in tie and Dr Graves came o t over Dr Gravess note-book.

        Dear ladies, good m, said Dr Cie, looking up.    first to Betty. ty? Good girl. You    your medie, of course.

        o    and broug a piece of sugar. Sook it, and curtseyed.

        Good girl,    ell me you o tears. t is not good.     shink?

        S know, sir.

        hmm?

        ook , all time murmuring traves, he pale old lady.

        Miss ilson, s oday? asked Dr Cie.

        the usual ones, she answered.

        ell,    repeat them.

        t of pure air, she said quickly.

        Yes, yes.    Dr Gravess book.

        And of wholesome food.

        You .

        ter.

        A tonic, for stered nerves. You knohis, Miss ilson.

        S. t once s: thieves!

        I jumped at tie looked up at s enougongue.    ?

        thieves! Devils!

        Your tongue, Miss ilson!    do ? hmm?

        Ser a minute:

        A curb.

        t is rig tigurned and called to o ly. Miss ilson put o o feel for a c my eye, and tered, and she seemed ashamed.

        I s any otime; but for noen more ladies like old me my     ed only until Dr Cie rus to th and leaned and said,

        Dr Cie, sir! urned and came towards me.

        Mrs Rivers. ook my    t, not smiling. how are you?

        Sir, I said. Sir, I—

        Pulse ratly, traves. Dr Graves made a note of it. urned bae. You    your face, I am sorry to see.

        Nurse Spiller spoke before I could.

        Cast o tie, s

        Aion in w?

        Slept? No, I—

        Dear, dear. e ot . I s. You s slumber.

        o Nurse Ba. She nodded back.

        Dr Cie, I said, more loudly.

        Pulse quiing, now, he murmured.

        I pulled my en to me? You    me ake.

        Is t so? o my mouteetrid,    tell us, if tart troubling you.

        tm not staying here, I said.

        Not staying, Mrs Rivers?

        Mrs Rivers? Fods sake, ood and saw o me, and heard me speak. I—

        So I did, old me resss    be kept quiet and free from imes it is easier—is it not?—to ask for assistan beand you, Mrs Rivers, very well.

        I am not Maud Rivers!

        smiled.

        You are not ready to admit t you are Maud Rivers.    is quite a different to admit to it, our hen—

        You s keep me ! You keep me, whose swindling villains—

        he folded his arms. hich swindling villains, Mrs Rivers?

        I am not Maud Rivers! My name is Susan—

        Yes?

        But    time, I faltered.

        Susan Smith, I said finally.

        Susan Smit, Dr Graves? Of reet, Mayfair?

        I did not answer.

        e, e,    on. t is all your fancy, is it not?

        It lemans fancy, I said, t devil—!

        leman, Mrs Rivers?

        Richard Rivers, I answered.

        Your husband.

        her husband.

        Ah.

        ell you! I sa t did it. You may bring Mrs Cream!

        Mrs Cream, t lengtold us, very sadly, of temper t stole upon you, in her house.

        She eaking of Maud.

        Of course.

        S me. Y    s iles, t Briar. Bring old Mr Lilly!

        you t be supposed to kno.    o o make ?

        Oing my ogetly.) S, to trick you! S an actress!

        An actress? Your maid?

        Maud Lilly! Dont you    me ed and tricked me—think me her, and her me!

        smiled. then he said, slowly and very easily:

        But, my dear Mrs Rivers, rouble of doing t?

        I opened my mout. For, ill supposed t if I only told rut. But trutted to steal a ladys fortu I    a servant, ired, and so bruised from my nig    up a clever story. No t all. Nurse Ba rubbed ie still ch a hum expression on his face.

        Mrs Rivers? he said.

        I dont kno last.

        Ah.

        raves, and to move off.

        ait! ait! I cried.

        Nurse Spiller came fors enouging tors time.

        I did not look at cie turn from me, and say, t girl, , I dont care if t me in a prison for it! Better a prison, han a madhouse! I said,

        Dr Cie, sir! Dr Graves! Listen to me!

        ts enoug you knoors are? Dont you t better to do t back!

        I epped after Dr Cie and was reac.

        Please, sir, I said. Listen to me. I    been perfectly straig Susan Smiter all.

        o surned a little to me.

        Mrs Rivers, he began.

        Susan trinder, sir. Sue trinder, of— I    to say, Lant Street; t of course I must not say it, for fear it so Mr Ibbss shop. I closed my eyes and

        s . Dr Cie drew himself from my hand.

        You must not touc, erner.

        I clutc again. Only , I beg you! Only let me tell you of terrible plot I o be part of, by Ric devil!    you, sir!    all of us! olen a fortuhousand pounds!

        I    let go of . My voice    o    t it    trut to be deluded. I sie got out le, just like before. tes and Mr ty bellowed.

        t me ba t me s, ea.

        out, youll be sorry! I said, as t a mothe land!

        Nurse Spiller nodded. Is ss yours, and all our othen; and she laughed.

        I tea—ed bitter—must    in it. I slept t migo stupid. I let take me, stumbling, back to tie made our, and .

        You are calmer today, Mrs Rivers,    and from sleeping, it ick my tongue from my gums, to answer,

        I aint Mrs Rivers!

        And .

        My ried to to our rooms in the

        m, and    to sit and be silent—or to read, if    books t    put up on a stool, looking over ttle magazine—no red fingers, to turn a page; and nohen chug.

        And t t yaook us doairs for our dinners. Anoto hey said. No dawdling.

        e    my back.

        Dont be frig turn your     be frightened, she said, of your soup.

        ter, to be nearer Nurse Ba.

        So t our line cy or so ladies kept in t o me noer my spell in t and s of fas t some    to t teeteetaken from ts and bruises, and ots or muffs—t saying t all mad, in to me, just t t er all, as t maniacs. tty, ons. One liked to s bad s. t    and turheir laps, and mumbled, and sighed.

        I sat amo was soup, as Miss ilson    me, nodding her

        ; but I    catc catcupid, before; no    of fever ing, and tc t. But t kno of tools I suppose I mig I    any kind of tool—not so muake one e our soup in, and so soft, t    hem.

        Dinner lasted en—Mr Bates and Mr ood at tables. ced up my hand and said,

        Please, sir, wors? Sir? May I see Dr Cie, sir?

        Dr Cie is busy, . he walked on.

        A lady said, You s see tors no you know?

        Sher.

        .

        From London, I said, still looking after think I e from somewhere else.

        From London! s, too: London! A!

        And t beginning. t is very ?

        I said, Out?

        ho are your people?

        ? tout man urned and oed my . ill you tell me, I said to ie? Sir? Please, sir?

        Be quiet! .

        t    be familiar, son.

        ? I said. No.

        I srees are all in leaf.

        I dont kno knohem.

        ho are your people?

        tout man urned and folded    no it droop.

        My people are thieves, I said miserably.

        Ohe ladies made faces. Queer girl. . .

        the woman beside me, however, beed me close.

        Your prone? soo. But see    sring, around    , aones. al, sy. Sucked toucers aken t. t his, however! Oh, no!

        I spoke to no-one, after t. ook us to a garden and made us    it for ae    you could see ts bars to t of t t in. trees to t park e of t. I ree in my life, but    be? If I mig to a    freedom.

        If Mrs Sucksby didnt e first.

        But till supposed, too, t I sie. I meant to s taken back to to sit, until tea-time, in a great grey room t smelt of leaking gas, t t—still tcill sing—and said not tty—did: I washed my face

        and    ta my eful tartan goidy -go to tea and gave me a basin of it, I took it, but did not drink it. I tipped it on t no-oeamed for a sed, t my foot on tipped it. I looked up, and saty g.

        Made a mess, she said loudly. She had a voice like a mans. Bad girl.

        Bad girl? said Nurse Ba, turning round. I knoo your bed. Quick! quick! all of you. God bless me, w a life!

        So be quiet, o lie still. If , t first nigurned and trembled. Stop moving!

        S up, reading, and t of er    doo    a ligill burning, so sirred in t; and t straigo sleep and started sn. han ever.

        Sook o bed     about her neck.

        I lay e glove in my fist, and no tip of one of its fio my mout ; and I bit and bit.

        But I slept, at last; and ors came ba th Nurse Spiller, I was ready.

        Mrs Rivers, ie, after ty    a minute looking over Mrs Prid Miss ilson.

        I am perfectly clear in my head, I said.

        ch. Splendid!

        Dr Cie, I beg you—!

        I dipped my    old ory, all ain— Maud Rivers, but    in errible trick;    Briar as Maud Lillys servant, so I migero be mad. aken une, all for themselves.

        t you! You dont believe me? Bring anyone from Briar! Bring t c t to them, my own!

        are you calling it, norinder?

        Susan— No! I said. Not in t book. It is Susan Smithere.

        Susan Smith, again!

        Only in t it.    you see?

        But no o look grim. I    you say too muced. e ot . e must    all times. these fancies of yours—

        Fancies? God s t truth!

        Fancies, Mrs Rivers. If you migerrible plots? Laugolen fortunes and girls made out to be mad? tuff of lurid fi! e    a ie. You o overindulge yourself in literature; and have inflamed yans of fancy.

        Inflamed? I said. Over-indulge? Literature?

        You oo much.

        I looked at    speak.

        God    last, as urned aing—give me a pencil, and Ill put you

        dos as muco put, t me dory it for a year!

        o o t o keep me from folloer. o tors backs! Dont pull from me! I so be put ba tie?

        But Dr Cie ur t me in a ne of way,     Dr Graves. ly,

        It ent of to startle    of it.    do you say? Yes, give me a page from your note-book. Nurse Spiller, let Mrs Rivers go. Mrs Rivers— o me and gave me ttle piece of paper t Dr Graves orn from    o    and broug a pencil, and made to give me t.

        atc. Shis one!

        Very good, I see    I do not think she means us any harm. Do you, Mrs Rivers?

        No, sir, I said. I took t trembled. ched me.

        You may    better t, I think, he said.

        I moved it in my fingers, and it fell. I picked it up. atake anot me.

        I am not used to holding pencils, I said.

        Dr odded. I te me a line upon this paper.

        I t, I said.

        Of course you . Sit ly on t t is    to e, is it not? You kno is. Noe me your name. You    do t, at least. You old us so. Go on.

        I ated, te it. tore behe lead. Dr

        Cie cook t from me and s traves. they frowned.

        You ten Susan, said Dr Cie. ?

        It is my name.

        You ten badly. Did you do so on purpose? e me out a line, as I requested first.

        I t. I t!

        Yes, you . rite a single e me te: speckle.

        I shook my head.

        e, e,    difficult. And you ker of it,    already.

        Again, I ated. And tcilted to see me do it—I e an S. t tters. t on and on, and gree.

        You still press ie said.

        Do I?

        You knoters are muddled, and very ill-formed.    letter is t is one of your oo uand t your uncle—a st?

        . I quivered rigies gaze and said, as steadily as I could:

        I    an uo my name. You mean old Mr Lilly. I dare say es ly enoug you see, I aint her.

        apped at his .

        For you, rinder.

        I quivered again. Sir, I am!

        . I t, ts it! and almost surraves and shook his head.

        Quite plete,    it? I dont believe I ever saending even to tor faculties. Its t study on this,

        until our course of treatment is decided. Mrs Rivers, my pencil if you please. Ladies, good-day.

        urned, a us. Dr Graves and Nurse Spiller     turn t    as if sruck me or knocked me d. Sut—but too used to tears in t    o see a ting at dinner, o    tut turned into a yas, so me or to all of us. orments, ard on. orments, ty, be a good girl to your poor old nurse. Fetc my oi, will you?

        Sill    of tty took it to t out a jar of grease. te and ty sat, took a , and began to    into Nurse Bas sh.

        t finds tty chuckled.

        I turned my o my pilloty a demon at    cil I could o more.

        And t beside my bed, and tle.

        e, my dear. You must not give in to tears.

        It    out o me. I sa, and flinched.

        A    it. I am not quite in my rigo t,    a ches. hush!

        Saken a    I s soft; and tness of it, and t s piece of ki aain. Nurse Ba looked over. Ive got my eye on you, so me. Dont t. ttled ba ty still o her fingers.

        I said quietly,

        You mustnt t home.

        I am sure you do not, answered Miss ilson.

        Im only shey say I am mad.

        You must keep your spirit. t so    nor is it perfectly kind. t    breatall. t t pap!—I so see it served to a gardeners boy.

        her voice had risen. Nurse Ba looked ain, and curled her lip.

        I so see you blusom! she said.

        Miss ilson worked h and looked embarrassed.

        A reference, so me, to my pallor. ill you believe me if I tell you, tan ter ed to c, !

        S so mad, my    quite sank.

        tering hand had fallen.

        I believe—let me see—tle of the passing seasons ... I should say, many years.

        ty, said Nurse Ba, still listening. For you e an old ?— een years, tumn.—Aty, there! Good girl.

        S out h, and her eyes closed. I

        t in y years!—and t must have shown on my face, for Miss ilson said,

        You must not tay so long as t. Mrs Pries, every year; but    of . It    men    ers. ongue— You uand.

        t    me ends to be my husband.

        t is    is t of all.

        I touc, t —so     me.

        You believe it, I said. I looked at Nurse Ba; but she had heard me and opened her eyes.

        Dont make anyt, sable voice. Miss ilson believes all sorts of nonsense. Only ask    creatures live in the moon.

        Curse you! said Miss ilson. I told you t as a fidence!— You may see, Mrs Rivers, o diminisanding.—Does my broto abuse me? thieves! Devils!

        Nurse Baade a so fists; and Miss ilsain. I said, after a moment,

        You may t you like about t you? But ie s out, in time.

        I    you kno is your    sign you out.

        I stared at    Nurse Ba. Is t true? I asked. Nurse Baodded. I began to    ser never, never will!

        Miss ilson s perhaps he

        ill visit, and take a c? t let us see our vis-tors, you kno is the law.

        I wiped my face.    e, I said. , if he did, I would kill him!

        S    of fear. You must not say suc be good. Dont you kno taking you, of binding you— t ter—

        ater, murmured Mrs Price, in a shuddering way.

        ts enoug—s me—stop stirring up the ladies.

        And again, s.

        So t. Betty e or t t back to     out a murmur or a moan from be door t ed s of Mr Ibbss sister. I t of all my . I began, again, to s. I felt suddenly I t feel, o my feet and o ther, and back.

        If only t see out. And t the Bh!

        ill you sit down? said Nurse Ba.

        t t get up from o ans. It ed until togetole baiss ilson. Desperation o make me sly.

        Listen to me, I said quietly. I must get out of    kno? Ill pay you fork, I swear.

        S me, and tone, I    suppose t I    up to speak in whispers?

        Nurse Ba looked round and stared.

        You, Maud, s are you doing now?

        ty, in her gruff voice.

        ! Get back to your bed and leave Miss ilson alone. t I turn my back a minute    you start up trying to tamper he ladies?

        I supposed srying to escape. I    bay bed. Sood at to y    I    me, before.

        I ill too ignorant to knoy look meant. God o find out, soon enough.
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