opas!" she called out mischievously.

No one answered from the moonlit cabbage-plot. In fact, Brother
Copas, beating his retreat, at that moment struck his staff against a
disused watering-can, and missed to hear her.

He objurgated his clumsiness and went on, picking his way more
cautiously.

"The question is," he murmured, "how I'm to extort confession from
Bonaday to-morrow without letting him suspect . . ."

While he pondered this, Brother Copas stumbled straight upon
another shock. The small gate of the cabbage-plot creaked on its
hinge . . . and behold, in the pathway ahead stood a woman!
In the moonlight he recognised her.

"Nurse Branscome!"

"Brother Copas! . . . Why, what in the world are you doing--at this
hour--and here, of all places?"

"Upon my word," retorted Copas, "I might ask you the same question.
. . . But on second thoughts I prefer to lie boldly and confess
that I have been stealing cabbages."

"Is that a cabbage you are hiding under your gown?"

"It might be, if this place hadn't been destitute of cabbages these
twelve months and more. . . . Pardon my curiosity: but is that also a
cabbage you are hiding under your cloak?"

"It might be--" But here laughter--quiet laughter--got the better of
them both.

"I might have known it," said Brother Copas, recovering himself.
"Her father is outside her door abjectly beseeching her to be as
naughty as she pleases, if only she won't be unhappy. And she--
woman-like--is using her advantage to nag him."

'But if ne'er so fast you wall her--'

"Danae, immured, yet charged a lover for admission. Corona,
imprisoned, takes it out of her father for speaking through the
keyhole."

"You would not tell me what the child did, that you two have punished
her."

"Would I not? Well, she was abominably rude to Nurse Turner this
afternoon--went to the extent of calling her 'a nasty two-faced
spy.'"

"Was that all?" asked Nurse Branscome.

"It was enough, surely? . . . As a matter of fact she went farther,
even dragging your name into the fray. She excused herself by saying
that she had a right to hate Nurse Turner because Nurse Turner hated
you."

"Well, that at any rate was true enough."

"Hey?"

"I mean, it is true enough that Nurse Turner hates me, and would like
to get me out of St. Hospital," said Nurse Branscome quietly.

"You never told me of this."

"Why should I have troubled to tell? I only tell it now because the
child