Avenue
end, of course--with two other girls. And this afternoon--the studio
was so hot and stuffy and lonesome, with both my friends away--I went
up on the roof for better air, and fell asleep there and got caught by
the storm. Somebody had closed the scuttle, and I ran across roofs
looking for another that wasn't fastened down, and when I found
one--it was your house--I was so frightened by the lightning I hardly
knew what I was doing. I just tumbled in--"

"And welcome, I'm sure," Blue Serge interpolated.

She blundered on, unheeding: "I went all through the house, but there
wasn't anybody, and--I was so wet and miserable that I--made myself
at home--decided to take a bath and--and borrow some things to wear
until my own were dry. And then I thought . . ."

She halted, confused, realising how impossible it would be to convince
anybody with the tale of her intention merely to borrow the clothing
for a single night of arabesque adventure, finding it difficult now to
believe in on her own part, and hurried breathlessly on to cover the
hiatus.

"And then I heard a noise on the roof. I had closed the scuttle, but I
was frightened. And I crept down-stairs and--saw the light in the
library and . . . That's all." And when he didn't reply promptly,
she added with a trace of challenge: "So now you know!"

He started as from deep reverie.

"But why call yourself a thief--for that?"

"Because . . . because . . ." Overstrung nerves betrayed her in gusty
confession. "Because it's no good blinking facts: that's what I was in
my heart of hearts. Oh, it's all very well for you to be generous, and
for me to pretend I meant only to borrow, and--and all that! But the
truth is, I did steal--and I never honestly meant to send the things
back. At first--yes; then I meant to return them, but never once they
were on my back. I told myself I did, I believed I did; but deep down,
all along, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't! I'm a liar as well as a
thief."

"Oh, come now!" Blue Serge interjected in a tone of mild remonstrance,
lounging back and eying the girl intently. "Don't be so down on
yourself."

"Well, everything I've said was true except that one word 'borrow';
but that in itself was a lie big enough to eclipse every word of
truth. . . . But you'll never understand--never! Men can't. They
simply can't know what it is to be clothes-hungry--starving for
something fit to wear--as I have been for years and years and years,
as most o