eemed awfully kind that evening, telling her "tales of Araby," and
saying nothing which would shock her father. It was wonderful to be a
man and roll about the world as he had, and see all life, and queer
places, and people--Chinamen, and Gauchos, and Boers, and Mexicans. It
gave her a kind of thirst. And she liked to watch his brown, humorous
face; which seemed made of dried leather. It gave her the feeling that
life and experience were all that mattered, doing and seeing things; it
made her own trouble seem smaller; less important. She squeezed his hand
when she said good night: "Thank you for my violets and for coming; it
was awfully kind of you! I wish I could have adventures!" And he
answered: "You will, my dear fairy princess!" He said it queerly and very
kindly.

Fairy Princess! What a funny thing to call her! If he had only known!

There were not many adventures to be had in those regions where she
washed up. Not much "wide and adaptable life" to take her thoughts off
herself. But on her journeys to and from the hospital she had more than
one odd little experience. One morning she noticed a poorly dressed
woman with a red and swollen face, flapping along Regent Street like a
wounded bird, and biting strangely at her hand. Hearing her groan, Noel
asked her what the matter was. The woman held out the hand. "Oh!" she
moaned, "I was scrubbin' the floor and I got this great needle stuck
through my 'and, and it's broke off, and I can't get it out. Oh! Oh!"
She bit at the needle-end, not quite visible, but almost within reach of
teeth, and suddenly went very white. In dismay, Noel put an arm round
her, and turned her into a fine chemist's shop. Several ladies were in
there, buying perfumes, and they looked with acerbity at this disordered
dirty female entering among them. Noel went up to a man behind the
counter. "Please give me something quick, for this poor woman, I think
she's going to faint. She's run a needle through her hand, and can't get
it out." The man gave her "something quick," and Noel pushed past two of
the dames back to where the woman was sitting. She was still obstinately
biting at her hand, and suddenly her chin flew up, and there, between her
teeth, was the needle. She took it from them with her other hand, stuck
it proudly in the front of her dress, and out tumbled the words: "Oh!
there--I've got it!"

When she had swallowed the draught, she looked round her, bewildered, and