he went away."

She began to cry again, and the dog in her lap began to howl.

"O God! I don't know what I've done to be so unfortunate. I've not been
flash at all, and I never went to _cafes_ at night, or to Sally's or
Kate's, as so many girls do, and he can't say I ever took notice of
anybody else. When I love anybody I think of him last thing at night and
first thing in the morning, and now to be left alone--I'm sure I shall
never live through it!"

Glory tried to comfort the poor broken creature. It was her duty to live.
There was her child--had she never even seen it since she parted with it
to Mrs. Jupe? It must be such a darling by this time, creeping about and
talking a little, wherever it was. She ought to have the child to live
with her, it would be such company.

Polly kissed the pug to stop its whining, and said: "I don't want
company. Life isn't the same thing to me now. He thinks because he is
marrying that woman--What better is she than me, I would like to know?
She's only snapping at him for what he is, and he is only taking her for
what she's got, and I've a great mind to go to All Saints' and shame
them. You wouldn't? Well, it's hard to hide one's feelings, but it would
serve them right if--if I did it."

Polly had risen with a wild look, and was pressing the pug so hard that
it was howling again.

"Did what?" said Glory.

"Nothing--that is to say----"

"You mustn't dream of going to the church. The police----"

"Oh, it isn't the police I'm afraid of," said Polly, tossing her head.

"What then?"

"Never mind, my dear," said Polly.

On the way downstairs she reproached herself for not seeing what was
coming. "But girls like us never do, now do we?"

Glory coloured up to her hair, but made no protest. At the gate Polly
wiped her eyes and drew down her veil, and said: "I'm sorry to say it to
your face, my dear, but it's all been that Mr. Drake's doings, and a girl
ought to know he'd do as much himself, and worse. But you're a great
woman now, and in everybody's mouth, so you needn't care. Only----"

Glory's face was scarlet and her under lip was bleeding. Yet she kissed
the poor shallow thing at parting, because she was down, and did not
understand, and lived in another world entirely. But going back to where
her letter lay unfinished she thought: "Impossible! If this girl, living
in an atmosphere so different, thinks that----" Then she sat at the table
and forced herself to tell all.