ed her
unceremoniously over to the first person he met--a cook in a white cap
and apron--with the short and not too civil information that--

"She wants Cumina."

The cook glanced carelessly at Derette.

"Go straight along the passage, and up the stairs to the left," he said,
and then went on about his own business.

Never before had Derette seen a house which contained above four rooms
at the utmost. She felt in utter confusion amid stairs, doors, and
corridors. But she managed to find the winding staircase at the end of
the passage, and to mount it, wishing much that so convenient a mode of
access could replace the ladder in her mother's house. She went up till
she could go no further, when she found herself on the top landing of a
round tower, without a human creature to be seen. There were two doors,
however; and after rapping vainly at both, she ventured to open one. It
led to the leads of the tower. Derette closed this, and tried the
other. She found it to open on a dark fathomless abyss,--the Castle
well [Note 3], had she known it--and shut it quickly with a sensation of
horror. After a moment's reflection, she went down stairs to the next
landing.

Here there were four doors, and from one came the welcome sound of human
voices. Derette rapped timidly on this. It was opened by a girl about
the age of Flemild.

"Please," said Derette, "I was to ask for Cumina."

"Oh, you must go to the still-room," answered the girl, and would have
shut the door without further parley, had not Derette intercepted her
with a request to be shown where the still-room was.

With an impatient gesture, the girl came out, led Derette a little way
along the corridor running from the tower, and pointed to a door on the
left hand.

Derette's hopes rose again. She was one of those persons whom delays
and difficulties do not weary out or render timid, but rather inspire to
fresh and stronger action.

"Well, what do you want?" asked the pleasant-faced young woman who
answered Derette's rap. "Please, is there somebody here called Cumina?"

"I rather think there is," was the smiling answer. "Is it you?"

"Ay. Come in, and say what you wish." Derette obeyed, and poured out
her story, rather more lucidly than she had done to Stephen. Cumina
listened with a smile.

"Well, my dear, I would give you a gown for your friend if I had it,"
she said good-humouredly; "but I have just sent the only one I can spare
to my moth