e saw the figure of Sarah Gailey.

"Good afternoon," she called out calmly. "Here I am. Only I'm afraid I
haven't got enough to pay the cabman."

But while she was speaking she knew from Sarah Gailey's face that the
worst and the most ridiculous of her night-fears had been justified by
destiny.

Three days previously Mrs. Lessways had been suddenly taken ill in the
street. A doctor passing in his carriage had come to her assistance and
driven her home. Food eaten on the previous evening had 'disagreed' with
her. At first the case was not regarded as very serious. But as the
patient did not improve in the night Miss Gailey telegraphed to Hilda.
Immediately afterwards, the doctor, summoned in alarm, diagnosed
peritonitis caused by a perforating cancer. Mrs. Lessways had died on
the third day at eleven in the morning, while Hilda was in the train.
Useless to protest that these catastrophes were unthinkable, that Mrs.
Lessways had never been ill in her life! The catastrophe had happened.
And upstairs a corpse lay in proof.

* * * * *

BOOK II
HER RECOVERY

CHAPTER I
SIN

I

From her bed Hilda could see the trees waving in the wind. Every morning
she had thus watched them, without interest. At first the branches had
been utterly bare, and beyond their reticulation had been visible the
rosy facade of a new Board-school. But now the branches were rich with
leafage, hiding most of the Board-school, so that only a large upper
window of it could be seen. This window, upon which the sun glinted
dazzlingly, threw back the rays on to Hilda's bed, giving her for a few
moments the illusion of direct sunlight. The hour was eleven o'clock. On
the night-table lay a tea-tray in disorder, and on the turned-down sheet
some crumbs of toast. A low, nervous tap at the door caused Hilda to
stir in the bed. Sarah Gailey entered hurriedly. In her bony yellowed
hand she held a collection of tradesmen's account-books.

"Good morning, dear, how are you?" she asked, bending awkwardly over the
bed. In the same instant she looked askance at the tray.

"I'm all right, thanks," said Hilda lazily, observing the ceiling.

"You haven't been too cold without the eiderdown? I forgot to ask you
before. You know I only took it off because I thought the weather was
getting too warm.... I didn't want it for another bed. I assure you it's
in the chest of drawers in my room." Sarah Gailey added the last word