etty as though she was a moonbeam. And she
said, 'You promised to help me when I was in trouble, and I have come to
you to get you to keep your promise.' Now, sir and madam, I have come
here about that. The young lady wants to be helped. She has got a shock,
and wants a bit of humoring. She says some words which have no meaning to
me, but they mean something to her, and she must be humored. 'I want to
wash and be clean,' she keeps saying; and she wants Nancy and me to take
her away to the seaside where the waves are big and strong, and she
insists on it that she will only go with Nancy and me. So, Miss Tredgold
and Mr. Dale, I have come here to-day to say that we mean to take her."

"Can I see her?" asked Miss Tredgold. "I have nothing to say. Perhaps I
did wrong that time. We all make mistakes sometimes. I ought to have
known you better, Mr. King. But that time is over. The important thing
now is to restore the balance of Pauline's mind. Can I see her?"

"You can, madam, when the right time comes; but that is not to-day, and
it won't be to-morrow. This is my business now, madam, and you must leave
it to me."

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE CLEANSING WATERS.

That very day Farmer King went away with his daughter and Pauline. They
went to a small village called Rosestairs, not many miles from
Easterhaze. The farmer was immensely proud and pleased at having the care
of Pauline, and he was determined that if man could restore her to
health, he would be that individual. Rosestairs was a very pretty little
place, and quite sheltered. The Kings took lodgings in a tiny cottage,
where they lived as plainly as people could. Here Pauline rested and took
long walks, and, as she expressed it afterwards, found herself again. But
although day by day the weight in her head grew less, the haunting words
still clung to her: "Wash and be clean." One night they entered into her
dreams, and she awoke quite early with the words hovering on her lips:
"Wash, Pauline; wash and be clean." Nancy was sleeping peacefully by her
side. Pauline raised her head. She felt well--absolutely well--but for
those haunting words. She stole out of bed and went and stood by the
window.

The sea was only a few yards off, and the waves were coming in fresh and
lovely and sparkling. "Come, wash," they seemed to say, and each soft
thud of a wave on the shore seemed to repeat the words.

"I will--I will; I must," thought the young girl.

She opened her trunk v