came to the
end. When she did stop she could not move.

[Illustration: THE POND. Page 168.]

Rose was deep in the pond--it came up as far as her throat! There she
stuck quite fast, and there she might have stuck for hours, had not her
cries been heard by Mark, who, though not seen, had not lost sight of
her since the time she had left the house.

Mark, who was now in great fear, ran as fast as feet could run to the
place where the head of Rose was to be seen on the pond, like a float
on the top of green weeds. When Mark came to the slope, he went down it
with care, lest the fate of Rose should be his.

The screams of Rose were loud: "I shall sink! I shall sink deep, deep
down! Oh, help me! help me!" She then saw Mark: "Mark! Mark!" she said;
"fast! fast! pray, pray come fast." Mark was now at the edge of the
pond. "Raise up your arms," said he; "raise up your arms, and take fast
hold of my hand."

The mud and slime were so thick that poor Rose found it hard to raise
up her arms. Yet she did so, and caught hold of Mark's hand with such
force that he, too, would have been in the pond had he not made a quick
step back.

When Rose had got a firm grasp, Mark, with all the strength he had, did
what he could to drag her out. At length she _was_ out: she stood at
the edge of the pond, her clothes thick with mud and slime; and such a
weight she was, that she could not move fast.

Poor Mark stood by her side, his face quite pale with the fright he had
had. They went up the slope as well as they could. When they were near
home, just at the gate which led out of the last field, they were met
by Mr. Wood. What must Mr. Wood have thought to see Rose in that
strange state, and with such a queer hat on her head?

"Rose," he said, and the tone of his voice was a cross tone; "Rose, how
is this? where can you have been, and how is it that I see you thus?"

"O Sir," said Mark, "do not scold Rose, do not scold Rose; it is all my
fault, and all the blame must be mine." Mark then told Mr. Wood how
Rose had sold her self to him for six pence, and what he had made her
do when he had bought her.

"Go in the house, Rose," said Mr. Wood; "go to bed at once; what I have
to say to you must not be said now."

Rose did not dare to hold up her head as she went through the hall. She
felt much shame when the maid came to take off her clothes and to wash
her. Rose saw the maid laugh, and _that_ she did think was hard to
bear, but she did not