e seemed to fumble, the oppression growing; she felt that
Victoria was in the room, and could only hope that she was asleep. With
a great effort of her will she lit the candle before turning round. Then
she gave a short sharp scream.

Victoria was lying across the bed dressed in her bodice and petticoat.
She had tucked this up to her knees and taken off her stockings; her
legs hung dead white over the edge. At her feet was the tin bath full
of water. Betty ran to the bed, choking almost, and clasped her friend
round the neck. It was some seconds before she thought of wetting her
face. After some minutes Victoria returned to consciousness and opened
her eyes; she groaned slightly as Betty lifted up her legs and
straightened her on the bed.

It was then that Betty noticed the singular appearance of Victoria's
legs. They were covered with a network of veins, some narrow and pale
blue in colour, others darker, protruding and swollen; on the left calf
one of the veins stood out like a rope. The unaccustomed sight filled
her with the horror bred of a mysterious disease. She was delicate, but
had never been seriously ill; this sight filled her with physical
repulsion. For her the ugliness of it meant foulness. For a moment she
almost hated Victoria, but the sight of the tin bath full of water cut
her to the heart; it told her that Victoria, maddened by mysterious
pain, had tried to assuage it by bathing her legs in the cold water.

Little by little Victoria came round; she smiled at Betty.

'Did I faint, Betty dear?' she asked.

'Yes, dear. Are you better now?'

'Yes, I'm better; it doesn't hurt now.'

Betty could not repress a question.

'Vic,' she said, 'what is it?'

'I don't know,' said Victoria fearfully, then more cheerfully,

'I'm tired I suppose. I shall be all right to-morrow.'

Then Betty refused to let her talk any more, and soon Victoria slept by
her side the sleep of exhaustion.

The next morning Victoria insisted upon going to the P. R. R. in spite
of Betty suggesting a doctor.

'Can't risk losing my job,' she said laughing. 'Besides it doesn't hurt
at all now. Look.'

Victoria lifted up her nightshirt. Her calves were again perfectly white
and smooth; the thin network of veins had sunk in again and showed blue
under the skin. Alone one vein on the left leg seemed dark and angry.
Victoria felt so well, however, that she agreed to meet Farwell at a
quarter-past nine. This was their second expediti