on was so great that walking was slow and
weary, she went out and strayed at first with no aim; but presently she
took the direction of Chelsea, and so came to Beaufort Street. She
would go in and see Harriet, who would give her something to eat. She
cared little now for letting it be known that she had left her
employment; with the step which she had at last taken, her position was
quite changed; she had only kept silence lest Waymark should come to
know. Harriet was at first surprised to see her then seemed glad.

"I've only a minute ago sent a note, asking you to be sure to come
round to-night. I wanted you to help me with this new hat; you have
such good taste in trimming."

Ida would have been astonished at another time; for Harriet to be
paying compliments was indeed something novel. There was a flush on the
latter's usually sallow face; she did not sit down, and kept moving
aimlessly about.

"Give me your hat and jacket," she said, "and let me take them into the
other room."

She took them away, and returned. Ida was not looking at her; otherwise
she must surely have noticed that weird pallor which had all at once
succeeded to the unhealthy flush, and the unwonted gleaming of her
eyes. Of what passed during those next two hours Ida had afterwards no
recollection. They ate together, and they talked, Ida as if in a dream,
Harriet preoccupied in a way quite out of her habit. Ida explained that
she was out of employment, news which could scarcely be news to the
listener, who would in that case have heard it with far less composure.
There were long silences, generally brought to an end by some outburst
of forced merriment from Harriet. Ida was without consciousness of
time, but her restless imagination at length compelled her to go forth
again. Harriet did not urge her to stay, but rose and watched her as
she went into the other room to put her things on. In a few moments
they had parted.

The instant Harriet, from the head of the stairs, heard the front-door
close, she ran back into her bed-room, put on her hat, and darted down.
Opening the door, she saw Ida moving away at a short distance. Turning
her eyes in the opposite direction, she perceived a policeman coming
slowly down the street. She ran towards him.

"I've caught her at last," she exclaimed, as she met him, pointing
eagerly after Ida. "She's taken a brooch of mine. I put it in a
particular place in my bed-room, and it's gone."

"Was she alone in t