er back.

Suddenly Tommy took to his heels, Elspeth after him. He had seen the
Painted Lady coming on her tip-toes to the window. They saw the window
open and a figure in a white shawl creep out of it, as she had doubtless
escaped long ago by another window when the door was barred. They lost
sight of her at once.

"What will Grizel do now?" Tommy whispered, and he would have returned
to his watching place, but Elspeth pointed to the window. Grizel was
there closing it, and next moment the lamp was extinguished. They heard
a key turn in the lock, and presently Grizel, carrying warm wraps,
passed very near them and proceeded along the double dykes, not anxious
apparently to keep her mother in view, but slowly, as if she knew where
to find her. She went into the Den, where Tommy dared not follow her,
but he listened at the stile and in the awful silence he fancied he
heard the neighing of a horse.

The next time he met Grizel he was yearning to ask her how she spent
that night, but he knew she would not answer; it would be a long time
before she gave him her confidence again. He offered her his piece of
cold iron, however, and explained why he carried it, whereupon she flung
it across the road, crying, "You horrid boy, do you think I am
frightened at my mamma!" But when he was out of sight she came back and
slipped the cold iron into her pocket.

CHAPTER XVII

IN WHICH TOMMY SOLVES THE WOMAN PROBLEM

Pity made Elspeth want to like the Painted Lady's child now, but her own
rules of life were all from a book never opened by Grizel, who made her
religion for herself and thought God a swear; she also despised Elspeth
for being so dependent on Tommy, and Elspeth knew it. The two great
subjects being barred thus, it was not likely that either girl, despite
some attempts on Elspeth's part, should find out the best that was in
the other, without which friendship has no meaning, and they would have
gone different ways had not Tommy given an arm to each. He, indeed, had
as little in common with Grizel, for most conspicuous of his traits was
the faculty of stepping into other people's shoes and remaining there
until he became someone else; his individuality consisted in having
none, while she could only be herself and was without tolerance for
those who were different; he had at no time in his life the least desire
to make other persons like himself, but if they were not like Grizel she
rocked her arms and cried, "Why