ny one
yourself, Miss Bawn, you'd know."

"I do know, Nora," I said. I knew that if Anthony Cardew lifted his
finger to me I would follow him over the world. "I do know. But it can
only end in misery, unless Mr. Dawson were willing to marry you."

"He has never said a word about marriage. But you mustn't think he's
bad, Miss Bawn. 'Tis my own fault, for I love him so much, and he can't
help seeing it. But he's never said a word he mightn't say to a lady.
There's the kissing----"

"Yes, there's the kissing. It oughtn't to be, Nora." As I said it I felt
what a poor hypocrite I was, for I could never have resisted Anthony
Cardew if he had wished to kiss me, never, never, no matter what trouble
or misery it involved. "You ought to go away, Nora, out of the reach of
temptation. There is no one dependent on you; no one for whose sake you
need dread to go. The only thing would be to go away."

"I've thought of it, Miss Bawn, but sure, if he wanted me I'd only have
to come back."

There was something in her voice that frightened me; it sounded so
hopeless, so without any capacity for resistance.

"My aunt is own maid to Lady Garmoy," she went on. "She could get me a
place in her ladyship's household, under herself. I might go, but, Miss
Bawn, I'd never know the day nor the hour he mightn't draw me back to
him. All the same, you mustn't think me a bad girl, Miss Bawn. It isn't
right for him or for me; sure, I know it isn't. I can't say my prayers
as I used to. But if I went among strangers I couldn't tell the day or
the hour it 'ud be too much for me, and I'd be stealing out of the house
and taking the train back. It isn't as if there was some one I could
tell, some one that would hold me, that I could run to when the fit was
on me."

"Nora," I said, with a sudden thought, "how would it be if you were to
come to me? My grandmother will let me have a maid of my own when I want
one. Come to me, and Bridget Connor will teach you your duties, and you
will have the little room off mine to sit and sew in. You need never go
outside the Abbey gates if you do not care to. The place is big enough
to walk about in. And if you are hard pressed you can run to me, Nora.
You will feel that I am just a girl like yourself, and will not be
afraid. And I shall hold your hands till the danger is past."

"May the Lord reward you, Miss Bawn!"

"Then I may speak to Lady St. Leger?"

"I shall love to be with you, Miss Bawn. Sure, there isn'