before he could rein in his horse she was out on the pavement.
She flew to the area gate and pressed the bell with all her might. She
kept her finger on it, and the cook came flying to the door, looking
flushed and angry at the continuous ringing.

"Well, I might o' known," she said, eying Nan with unconcealed
disfavor. "Do you think a body's deaf that you ring like that?"

Nan flung back her head resentfully.

"Never mind what I think," she returned sharply. "Open the gate! Ruth
is sick! She got hurt! Some one's bringing her in. Quick!"

The gate was flung open with a bang, and the woman rushed out,
clutching Ruth from the milkman's arms and carrying her into the house,
muttering mingled caresses and abuse all the while; the caresses for
Ruth and the abuse for Nan.

The milkman turned on his heel and went his way unthanked, but by the
time he got to the outer gate Nan had recollected herself, and had
rushed after him, calling:

"Oh, please! I want to tell you--thank you ever so much!"

She was glad she had done it when she saw the gratified look on his
face. When she got back to the area gate it was shut. Mary the
chambermaid stood just inside it. She made no attempt to admit Nan.
She simply stood there and looked her over from head to toe.

"Well, you're a pretty piece!" she remarked.

"None of your business if I am," retorted Nan. "Let me in. I want to
see Mrs. Newton."

The maid took her hand from the knob and put it on her hip.

"Mrs. Newton don't want to see you, though, I guess," she returned.
"By this time Bridget's told her all she wants to know."

"But I must see her! I must tell her!" Nan insisted, stamping her
foot. "Bridget don't know anything about it. No one does but me. Let
me in, I say!"

The girl laughed.

"Well, I'll go upstairs and tell Mrs. Newton. Then, if she wants to
see you, she can," and she went inside and closed the door, leaving Nan
to stand shuddering in the cold outside. Presently she came back,
carrying the coat in her hands.

"Mrs. Newton says she hasn't time to see you now. She says she'll
attend to you later. She says she can guess how it happened, and that
if Ruth dies it'll be your fault. There, now, you know what's thought
of you, and you can put it in your pipe and smoke it, you great, rough
tomboy!"

The gate was thrust open a little way, the coat was flung out, and the
door slammed to again, and once more Nan found herself in the area wa