already getting up in the sky. The next minute Kathleen caught
firm hold of the arm of old ivy and let herself down deftly and quickly
to the ground. The action was done so neatly, and in fact so
beautifully, that Alice in spite of herself felt inclined to cry
"Bravo!" She knew that if she were to trust herself to that ivy she
would probably fall to the bottom and get, if not really killed, at
least half so. But Kathleen stood serenely on the ground, and glanced
up at the window from which she had let herself down. Just at that
moment Alice rushed into their bedroom. Kathleen had shut the window
behind her before she trusted herself to the ivy; she had also unlocked
the door. In a moment Alice had put on her hat and jacket, had rushed
downstairs, opened the hall door, and was following Kathleen across the
common. Now, quite the nearest way to the railway station was across the
common. Kathleen walked fast.

"Kathleen, Kathleen!" cried Alice.

Kathleen looked behind her. She saw Alice, and took to her heels.

"No, no, Kathleen; I will follow you until I drop. You must let me come
up with you."

But Kathleen made no answer. If she could do anything well, she could
run in a race. Her swift feet scarcely touched the ground. She ran and
ran. How soon would Alice get tired? She did not dare to go to the
railway station as long as she was following. And the time to catch the
train was very short. At the other side of the common was a long,
narrow, winding passage which, after a quarter of a mile of tortuous
turning, led right up a back-way to the great terminus. Kathleen had
given herself exactly the right length of time. Had nothing happened to
hinder her, she would have been on the platform three minutes before the
train came in. For reasons of her own she did not wish to be long there.
She had crossed the common when she looked behind her; Alice was still
running, but she was also in the distance.

"If I could only double, hide for a minute, and make her give up the
chase, all would be well," thought the mischievous Irish girl.

There was a great tree, which cast a huge shadow, just before the
winding passage was reached. Kathleen darted towards it. In an instant
she had climbed up and was seated securely in one of its lower branches.

"Now, if only she will be quick, she will run past me into the passage.
She will never get to the end in time. I shall slip down and go the long
way. I know it is a good bit farther, b