Fan

ure to ask whether she might go out or not, or even to go to Miss Starbrow's room, but kept to her own cold apartment, working and grieving, and seeing no one except the maid. Rosie came and went,

ondering a little at the change in the maid's manner, but not thinking much about it, for she had never received a telegram be

be about it?" she exclaimed

"Come to me here by train from Westbourne Park Station. Bring two or three dresses and all you will r

hile Fan changed her dress and got herself ready, the maid selected one of Miss Starbrow's best bags and busied herself in folding up and packing as many of Fan's things as she could cram into it. Then she

he girl in, handed her the bag, and told her to pay the cabman one shill

egram, you don't want it any more," sh

mons she had thrust the missive and the cover separately into her pocket, so that Rosie had after all only got the envelope. It was a little matter-a small over

orm was clear of the other passengers who had alighted, a respectably-dressed woman got up from one of the seats and came up to Fan. "You are Miss Affleck," she said, with a

d any road been made, but the houses stood on the wet clay, full of deep cart-wheel ruts, and strewn with broken bricks and builders' rubbish. In the middle of the row Fan noticed that one of the cottages was inhabited, apparently by very poor people, for as she passed by with her guide, three or four children and a woman, all wretchedly dressed, came out and stared curiously at her. Then, to her surprise, her guide stopped at the last house of the row, and opened the door wi

rbrow?" she asked

ed stairs. But suddenly, with a cry of terror, the girl snatched herself free and rushed down into the open room, and stood

d the woman, quickly

ing down!" said Fan, in a terrified whi

in Horton here, and what's more, I don't know who Captain Horton

out! let me out!" w

yet, for the sense of the terrible peril she was in gave her an unnatural strength, and struggling still to return to the window, her only way of escape, they presently came violently against it and shattered a pane of glass. At this moment the woman,

r yourself-the wild beast!" cried the wom

you stop screaming?" he shouted;

e here," cried the woman, running to the window and peering out at

ng her towards the door. But not even yet was she wholly overcome; all the power which had been in her imprisoned arms and ha

head coming violently in contact with the sharp edge of the table, she was thrown down senseless on th

became terrifi

you have killed her, and you'll hang for it and

claimed the other, in a rage. "Get som

loosened her dress. But the fear that they would be discovered unnerved her, her hands shook, a

exclaimed Captain Horton, dashing the blood from h

spark of life in her that I c

se, and placed his hand over her heart, but was perhaps

ght knock in falling like that. No, no, she'll come to presently an

se were all there watching us when I brought the girl in. They're curious about it, and maybe suspect something; and when the policeman comes round you may be

t just then Fan's bosom moved, she drew a

bent over her, and gazed at her in a dazed kind of way, not yet remembering where she was or what had befallen her. Then she glanced at the man's face, a little dist

ther room-it kills her to see you!" s

the door very quietly, but pres

little brandy," he said,

in a chair; but with her strength her distress and terror came back,

e door and spoke sof

t now; she's g

rage. "There are two of your neighbour's boys prying about in front and trying to peer

eturn to Fan when

me directions which she promised to obey, after which she came back to Fa

back to the station as soon as you're well enough to walk. You've had a fal

approached, and then turned her eyes, d

on't you fear. Sit down quietly and I'll make you a cup

d, and continued piteously be

only take a little brandy firs

and then putting her hand

's this o

ster where you hit yourself

leaned the bloodstains from her gown, and finally opening the d

she was still too weak to walk fast, and when they had got to the long road

er I leave you at the st

-to Westbo

d t

n't think. Oh, ple

see you in your tra

there," said Fan

don't you believe it. We were only going to shut you up in th

Star

telling you to come to Twickenham to he

member. Wh

is morning with Captain Horton, and they arranged it all together; and she telegraphed and then went away, and said she hated the

done?" moaned Fan, the t

ruel, wicked, bad woman. That's all I know abo

o her pocket and the

sie before I left-I remember now she a

. But tell me, where are you going when yo

tion. "But you say she sent for me to shut me up bec

night? Here's your bag you'd forgotten all about; if you go and forget it you'll have no clothes to change; and perhaps y

before replying. "My head is paining so, I was forgetting. But I shan't lose my bag, and I'l

able to take ca

you let m

nyone about what happened here, and then you'll be quite safe. Let Miss Starbrow thin

ich they went on to the station, and she was put into her train with her bag,

arcely stand on her legs when she got out of the train at Westbourne Park. It would be a dreadful thing if she were to fall down in the streets, overcome with faintness, she thought, for then her bag and purse might be stolen from her, or worse still, she might be taken back to the house of her cruel enemy. Clinging to her bag, she walked on as fast as she could seeking for some humble street with rooms to let-some refuge to lie down in and rest her throbbing head. She passed through Colville Gardens

ater." Fan agreed to take it for a week at that rent. The poor woman wanted the money, but seemed undecided. Presently she said, "You see, miss, it's

nd taking the sovereign from her pu

l go downstairs, I'll put

d is aching so," said Fan, feeli

u-are you goi

my head and hurt it so-look," and taking off h

ner became kind at once. She imagined that her lodger was a young lady who for some reason had run away from her friends. Smoothing down t

m thinking much of her miserable forlorn condition. She only wished for rest Yet she could not rest, but turned her hot flushed face

er drink it hot, miss; I always say there's

accustomed to of late. And the woman proved a good physician; it had the effect of throwing he

wsy that she longed to be asleep again; and she only got up to undress and go to bed in a more regular way. The time to think had not come yet; sleep alone seemed sweet to her, and in its loving arms she would lie, for it seemed like one that loved her alway