not know exactly how she could manage it, but somehow she would.
When she was dressed she opened a drawer. She must have money. Aunt
Sophia was liberal in the matter of pocket-money, but Pauline was
careless and spent hers as she got it. All she possessed now was a
shilling. She put the shilling into her pocket. Turning round, she saw
the flash of the gold thimble as it rested on the mantelpiece. She
slipped that also into her pocket. She then opened the window, and, as
she had done on a previous night long ago, she got out and let herself
down to the ground. She was now out all alone about midnight. Once again
the numb feeling had come back to her; nevertheless her mind was made up.
She would at any cost get back to the sea.

She walked across the grass. By-and-by she found herself at the
wicket-gate. When she reached the gate she had a sudden overwhelming
memory of Nancy King. During the last few weeks she had forgotten Nancy.
Now she thought of her. Standing with one hand on the post of the
wicket-gate, she reflected on an idea which presented itself to her. If
she, Pauline, was wicked--if she had been a naughty girl from the
first--surely Nancy was worse! If it was necessary for Pauline to wash
and be clean, it was still more necessary for Nancy. Together they could
visit the seaside; together lave themselves in the waves; together reach
that beautiful state where sin did not trouble.

Pauline smiled to herself. She walked through the Forest in the dead of
night, and presently reached Nancy's home. Now, it would have been a very
bad thing for Pauline, as it had very nearly been a bad thing for
Penelope some weeks ago, had Lurcher been out. But Lurcher was ill, and
had been sent to a neighboring vet.'s. And it also happened--just, as it
were, in the nick of time--that Farmer King was returning very late from
visiting a neighboring fair. He had been kept by a friend until past
midnight, and had driven home through the woods. As Pauline got to the
gate the farmer drew up his mare within a few feet of the tired girl. He
saw a girl standing by the gate, and could not make out who she was or
what she was doing. He said gruffly:

"You get out of this. What are you doing here at this time of night?"

Then Pauline raised a white face. He recognized the face, gave a
smothered, hasty exclamation, sprang to the ground, flung the reins over
the neck of the mare, and came towards the girl.

"Miss Pauline," he said, "what in