bject of
Sophie was lost in a general lamentation.

Friday evening came, and after the girls had departed Claire went in
search of Sophie, hoping tactfully to be able to suggest remedial
methods over the week-end. She peeped into several rooms before at
last, in one of the smallest and most out-of-the-way, she caught sight
of a figure crouched with buried head at the far end of the table. It
was Sophie, and she was crying, and catching her breath in a weak
exhausted fashion, pitiful to hear. Claire shut the door tightly, and
put her arms round the shaking form.

"Miss Blake--Sophie! You poor, dear girl! You are tired out. You have
been struggling all the week, but it's Friday night, dear, remember
that! You can go home and just tumble into bed. Don't give way when
you've been so brave."

But for the moment Sophie's bravery had deserted her.

"It's raining! It's raining! It _always_ rains. I can't face it. The
pain's all over me, and the omnibuses _won't_ stop! They expect you to
jump in, and I can't jump! I don't know how to get home."

"Well, I do!" Claire cried briskly. "There's no difficulty about that.
I'm sick of wet walks myself. I'll whistle for a taxi, and we'll drive
home in state. I'll take you home first, and then go on myself; or, if
you like, I'll come in with you and help you to bed."

"P-please. Oh, yes, please, do come! I don't want to be alone,"
faltered Sophie weakly; but she wiped her eyes, and in characteristic
fashion began to cheer up at the thought of the drive home.

There was a cheerful fire burning in Sophie's sitting-room, and the
table was laid for tea in quite an appetising fashion. The landlady
came in at the sound of footsteps, and showed a sympathetic interest at
the sight of Sophie's tear-stained face.

"I _told_ you you weren't fit to go out!" she said sagely. "Now just
sit yourself down before the fire, and I'll take your things upstairs
and bring you down a warm shawl. Then you shall have your teas. I'll
bring in a little table, so you can have it where you are." She left
the room, and Sophie looked after her with grateful eyes.

"That's what I pay for!" she said eloquently. "She's so kind! I love
that woman for all her niceness to me. I told you I had no right to pay
so much rent. I came in just for a few weeks until I could find
something else, and I haven't had the _heart_ to _move_. I've been in
such holes, and had such awful landladies. Th