to their mutual room, and
turned the key in the lock.

"I must get out of the window," she said to herself. "I can easily do
it; it is but to swing on to that thick cord of ivy and I shall reach
the ground without the slightest trouble. The back-gate that leads into
the garden is never locked, and the window I mean to emerge from looks
into the garden. I shall go off without anybody's noticing me."

Kathleen had to take a great deal of money with her. If there were forty
girls, their tickets would cost a good deal. It is true they were to buy
their own in the first instance, but Kathleen was to return them the
money in the train. Then the omnibuses they were to go on, the seats at
the theatre, their supper of some sort must be paid for by the head of
the society.

"I promised to frank them, and I must frank them," thought the girl.

She slipped some sovereigns into her purse, tucked it for safety into
the bosom of her dress, and then put on her hat and jacket. Some
instinct told the wild, ignorant child to dress quietly. She put on her
plainest hat and a little reefer coat which looked neat and substantial.
She was just drawing a pair of gloves on her hands when Alice was heard
turning the handle of the door.

"Let me in at once, Kathleen," she cried.

Kathleen did not reply at all for a moment; then she said in a sleepy,
smothered sort of voice which seemed to proceed from the bed:

"I have a splitting headache; don't disturb me."

"Very sorry," answered Alice, "but I really must come in."

Kathleen made no answer. After a long pause, during which Alice once or
twice felt the handle of the door again, the sound of her retreating
footsteps was heard.

"Now is my time," thought Kathleen.

To tell the truth, Alice was not at all taken in by Kathleen's headache.

"She is very clever," thought that young lady, "but she has tried that
dodge on so often before that I am not going to be deceived by it now."

Accordingly she went into her mother's room and stood by the window. Now
the window of Mrs. Tennant's bedroom looked also into the garden, and
was really parallel with the window by which Kathleen meant to escape.
There was an interval of silence, and then Alice had her reward! for the
window of their mutual bedroom was flung wide open, and Kathleen, neatly
dressed, appeared on the window-sill. She looked around her for a minute.
Alice caught a glimpse of her bright face by the light of the moon,
which was