bed-ridden woman in so loud and authoritative a tone that the woman
turned slowly and stupidly round to look at her. "This time next week
I'll be in the Union and you'll have no one to torment. You can make
arrangements when you like, the sooner the better."

"All right! it can't be too soon for me," retorted the woman with her
incessant, stupid laugh, which this time did not hide the fact that she
had received a shock at this taking of affairs out of her hands. "But
perhaps you'd rather I didn't do it since you've so many friends."

"No, you needn't bother yourself about me," said the bed-ridden woman.
"I'll have done with you soon."

"_Couldn't_ you?" said Anne, turning to face the woman and speaking with
great earnestness, and as always, when moved, with great preciseness.
"_Couldn't_ you for this last week do your best to be considerate and
kind? A week is not a very long portion of eternity. It is so painful to
think of two people separating for ever in hatred. You _have_ one week
left. Could you not make the most of it?"

"It's a week too much!" said the woman, with careless brutality. "Are
you always so fond of making long calls?" she added, staring at Anne.

Anne turned to the bed-ridden woman, saying, "On Thursday I shall be
going in to market and I'll call at the Union Infirmary and see the
Matron. I think you'll be better looked after there and have peace and
quietness."

"It couldn't be worse than this," said the woman. "I think perhaps I've
been foolish to stay here so long."

"I'll see the Matron for you on Thursday," said Anne. "Good-bye."

"Good-bye, and thank you," returned the sick woman, turning wearily away
from her fellow-lodger and settling down to the silence and endurance in
which she habitually lived.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Wright," said Anne to the other woman as she opened
the door. The woman stared in a way meant to put Anne out of
countenance, making no reply, while Anne, going outside, shut the door
gently behind her.

CHAPTER XIII

For three months Anne had prayed constantly for Jane. Living alone in an
orderly and quiet house with one window open towards her Invisible
Friend, she had spoken with Him of her desire for Jane's recovery, until
it appeared to her that He too must yearn as she did for this definite
thing. Elizabeth Richardson had been removed to the Infirmary and was at
peace, so that Anne's thoughts were of little else than Jane and her
re-instatement in th