introduced in
front. The autumn is coming on, and the young lady will find this hat
very suitable when the weather changes."

"Well, the weather seems inclined to remain fine," said Miss Tredgold,
glancing out of the window, where a very blue sky met her gaze. There
were heavy white clouds, however, drifting quickly across the sky, and
the young shop attendant said:

"I hear that there's a storm expected. And anyhow it is high-tide
to-night. The tide will come up and quite cover the White Bay this
evening. It is always more or less dangerous there, but it is specially
dangerous to-day. I never like these high-tides; children and nursemaids
are so apt to forget all about them."

Miss Tredgold muttered something conventional. Pauline suddenly sat down
on a chair.

"How white you are, dear!" said Miss Tredgold. "Would you oblige me," she
added, turning to the attendant, "by bringing this young lady a glass of
water?"

But Pauline had already recovered herself.

"Please don't," she said. "I want to go out. I want to get the air.
Don't--don't keep me."

Her movement was so sudden and so unexpected that neither Miss Tredgold
nor Verena had time to say a word. The people in the shop saw a somewhat
untidy-looking little girl rush wildly down the stairs and out of doors,
and long before Miss Tredgold had time to recover her scattered senses
that same little girl was tearing as though on the wings of the wind up
the High Street. Panting, breathless, overpowered with emotion, she
presently reached the long flat stretch of beach at the farther end of
which was the dangerous White Bay. Never in all her life had Pauline run
as she did now. Faster and faster flew her feet. There was a noise in her
ears as though something was hammering on her brain. She was almost faint
with terror. Should she be in time? Should she be too late? Oh! she must
be in time.

Presently she saw the far end of the promontory. Her heart gave a bound
and almost stood still. What was that white thing curling round it?
Water? Oh, yes; but she did not mind. She had waded before now. This was
a case of wading again. She reached the spot, and a moment later she had
torn off her shoes and stockings, had gathered her skirts round her
waist, and was walking through the waves. The water was already over a
foot deep. There was also a strong tide, and she had some difficulty in
keeping her feet. She managed to hold her own, however, and found herself
a minute