isappeared.

"She's a good woman," said Paula. "She's very kind and obliging. But she
follows me everywhere. If I could forget my position even for a moment,
the constant presence of that woman would remind me. Oh, it's so hard to
bear!"

"But she's kind, you say--and obliging. That's something, isn't it?"
said Mr. Ricaby encouragingly.

"Yes, it's something," replied the girl. She laughed bitterly as she
went on: "They're all kind and considerate, Mr. Ricaby, but it's their
very kindness and consideration that hurts me most. They look at me with
such sympathy and pity. I can read their very thoughts. They seem to
say: 'Poor thing, you have no mind. You can't think as we do.' And they
treat me as tenderly as they would a child. They try to amuse me and
comfort me. They give me everything I ask for--everything, except my
liberty. I demand my liberty. It won't be long now. The case comes up
the day after to-morrow, doesn't it?"

The lawyer looked away. Awkwardly he replied:

"No, Paula; it's postponed for a week."

"What!" she cried, in dismay. "Postponed--postponed! Oh!"

"If we'd been successful in getting Senator Wratchett," he explained,
"Cooley never would have obtained a stay of proceedings. But Wratchett
says he is not prepared."

"And until he is prepared I must stay here?" she cried, in
consternation.

"The time will soon pass," he replied soothingly.

The girl walked nervously up and down the floor. Turning quickly on the
lawyer, she exclaimed, with angry vehemence:

"Soon pass! Soon pass! Do you realize what it means to stay in this
dreadful place another whole week? To meet only men and women who regard
you with pity and curiosity--as--as hopelessly unfit to go into the
outer world? Their very kindness and consideration is a mockery. Another
week? Seven long days, seven endless nights? I can't sleep, I only get
fitful snatches of oblivion during which my dreams are worse than the
awakening. I've been here only three weeks and it seems like a
lifetime--a lifetime. The companionship of that woman for another week!"
Hysterically she cried: "I can't do it, Mr. Ricaby, I can't do it! You
must take me away from here!"

The lawyer made no reply. Then, as if suddenly actuated by a determined
resolution, he went up to the window overlooking the grounds and glanced
out. Perhaps there might be a chance to get away. But when he noted the
precipitous stone walls and the man on guard at the locked iron gates,