I had only
changed my dress, after all, while you had put on a gracious
manner--and yet I knew you instantly."

"Precisely . . . _What_? Oh, you shall pay for that!"

The angry creature looked about for some means of inflicting a cruel
punishment, and her eyes came upon a closet door. "Come, to bed with
you!" she exclaimed. "In the closet! It will do very well for such as
you. I'll have you under lock and key to-night, and to-morrow I'll
look into your case, you impudent, disobedient wretch!"

Seeing what her mother's intention was, Cinderella cried in a mournful
tone, "Oh, mother!"

But her mother stamped her foot violently. "In with you!" she cried.
Whereupon she removed a key from its peg on the wall and unlocked the
closet door. With one movement she forced Cinderella into the closet.
Then she locked the door and replaced the key on its peg.

"Unless the child is a witch in disguise--which I shouldn't put apast
her, for how else should she get the silks and jewels she wore
to-night?--she'll not be able to show her face again until I come to
let her out. I _wore a gracious manner_, did I?--and she knew me
instantly in spite of it! There's a dutiful child for you. A dutiful
child? A shameless hussy!"

And the furious creature blew out the candle on the mantel and left the
room. You could hear her slam the door.

A faint cry of distress came from the locked closet: "Mother--mother!"

In the darkness Everychild's voice could be heard speaking cautiously,
"Wait, Cinderella--wait until I can make a light."

The voice from the closet was heard again: "Mother--mother!"

And then Everychild's voice: "I must make a light, so that I can find
the key!"

For the last time Cinderella's voice could be heard faintly--"Mother!"

And then there was the calm voice of the Masked Lady: "Now you can see!"

The room was lighted again! The Masked Lady had arisen from her place.
She was holding the lighted candle above her head.

Not a second was wasted by Everychild. He hurriedly crossed the room
and took the key from its peg. He unlocked the closet door.

Cinderella thrust the door open and burst into the room.

"I couldn't leave you there, you know," said Everychild.

Cinderella regarded him intently. "You could not leave me there--no,"
she said; "and you shall not leave me in this house, where I meet only
indignities and abuse. Come, I am going with you."

Not another word was needed. Hand in hand