He must
take nothing for granted in himself. Having arrived at that conclusion,
the leaf turned!

And Joan, in like manner, thrashed about. It was not so much her actions
that caused her alarm--she had played most sincerely--but it was the
power behind the play that caused her to tremble and grow hot and cold.
What was it within her that had driven her where wiser girls would fear
to stray? What was it that was not love in the least and yet had caused
her heart to beat at Raymond's touch or glance? Whatever it was, Joan
concluded, it could not be depended upon. It could lay waste every holy
spot unless it were understood and controlled, and Joan set herself to
the task.

The first step was to get away. That was inevitable.

After a few months--and Joan was sure Patricia could not run in harness
longer than that--they could both come back, saner and better women.
Then Doris would be called into action; no more butting against the
pricks and calling it freedom!

In the meantime, Patricia and Joan worked madly to get away and still
secure Sylvia's interests.

Telegrams passed to and fro. Sylvia was fair enough to see both sides,
and while she was irritated at being disturbed she did not resent it and
even bade Patricia and Joan success with honest enthusiasm.

"I'll run back and see to things," she wrote; "I'm making a lot of
money."

And then Patricia tucked Joan, so to speak, under her frail wing and
took to flight.

Chicago was new territory to both the girls but Patricia, from the
necessity, as she told Joan, of grubbing, had become an adept at finding
shelter.

After a week at a hotel, while she settled herself in business, Patricia
had free hours for home-hunting, and she and Joan made a lark of it.

Patricia had the enviable power of shutting business from her own time,
and she quickly discerned that Joan needed prompt and definite interests
to hold her to what they had undertaken.

And the venture had suddenly assumed gigantic proportions to Patricia.
She feverishly desired it to be a success.

She realized that Joan was being torn by conflicting emotions while she
was idle and alone. She asked no questions; appeared not to notice
Joan's teary eyes and pensive mouth. Wisely she made Joan feel her own
need of her--to that Joan responded at once.

"Joan, I never had a home in my life before," she confided while they
flitted from one apartment to another. "I used to walk around in strange
cities and