y last spark of hope was quenched.

It pierced him with an intolerable pain. "Dinah--Dinah!" he said. "For
God's sake, child, you don't mean--that!"

Her white, pinched face twisted in a dreadful smile. "Why not?" she said.
"There was no other way." And then a sudden quiver as of returning life
went through her. "Why did you stop me?" she said. "If you hadn't, it
would have been--all over by now."

He put out a quick hand. "Don't say it,--in heaven's name! You are not
yourself. Come--come into the wood, and we will talk!"

She did not take his hand. "Can't we talk here?" she said.

He composed himself with an effort. "No, certainly not. Come into the
wood!"

He spoke with quiet insistence. She gave him an inscrutable look.

"You think you are going to help me,--Mr. Greatheart," she said, "but I
am past help. Nothing you can do will make any difference to me now."

"Come with me nevertheless!" he said.

He laid a gentle hand upon her shoulder, and she winced with a sharpness
that tore his heart. But in a moment she turned beside him and began the
ascent, slowly, labouringly, as if every step gave her pain. He moved
beside her, supporting her elbow when she faltered, steadily helping her
on.

They entered the wood, and the desolate sighing of the wind encompassed
them. Dinah looked at her companion with the first sign of feeling she
had shown.

"I must sit down," she said.

"There is a fallen tree over there," he said, and guided her towards it.

She leaned upon him, very near to collapse. He spread his coat upon the
tree and helped her down.

"Now how long is it since you had anything to eat?" he said.

She shook her head slightly. "I don't remember. But it doesn't matter.
I'm not hungry."

He took one of her icy hands and began to rub it. "Poor child!" he said.
"You ought to be given some hot bread and milk and tucked up in bed with
hot bottles."

Her face began to work. "That," she said, "is the last thing that will
happen to me."

"Haven't you been to bed at all?" he questioned.

Her throat was moving spasmodically; she bowed her head to hide her face
from him. "Yes," she said in a whisper. "My mother--my mother put me
there." And then as if the words burst from her against her will, "She
thrashed me first with a dog-whip; but dogs have got hair to protect
them, and I--had nothing. She only stopped because--I fainted. She hasn't
finished with me now. When I go back--when I go back--" She broke