ve given her something valuable," thought Alvina
to herself, as she went trembling to her room.

She had packed her bag. She had to find new rooms. She bade good-bye
to the Natcha-Kee-Tawaras. Her face was cold and distant, but she
smiled slightly as she bade them good-bye.

"And perhaps," said Madame, "per-haps you will come to Wigan
tomorrow afternoon--or evening? Yes?"

"Thank you," said Alvina.

She went out and found a little hotel, where she took her room for
the night, explaining the cause of her visit to Lancaster. Her heart
was hard and burning. A deep, burning, silent anger against
everything possessed her, and a profound indifference to mankind.

And therefore, the next day, everything went as if by magic. She had
decided that at the least sign of indifference from the medical
board people she would walk away, take her bag, and go to
Windermere. She had never been to the Lakes. And Windermere was not
far off. She would not endure one single hint of contumely from any
one else. She would go straight to Windermere, to see the big lake.
Why not do as she wished! She could be quite happy by herself among
the lakes. And she would be absolutely free, absolutely free. She
rather looked forward to leaving the Town Hall, hurrying to take her
bag and off to the station and freedom. Hadn't she still got about a
hundred pounds? Why bother for one moment? To be quite alone in the
whole world--and quite, quite free, with her hundred pounds--the
prospect attracted her sincerely.

And therefore, everything went charmingly at the Town Hall. The
medical board were charming to her--charming. There was no
hesitation at all. From the first moment she was engaged. And she
was given a pleasant room in a hospital in a garden, and the matron
was charming to her, and the doctors most courteous.

When could she undertake to commence her duties? When did they want
her? The very _moment_ she could come. She could begin tomorrow--but
she had no uniform. Oh, the matron would lend her uniform and
aprons, till her box arrived.

So there she was--by afternoon installed in her pleasant little room
looking on the garden, and dressed in a nurse's uniform. It was all
sudden like magic. She had wired to Madame, she had wired for her
box. She was another person.

Needless to say, she was glad. Needless to say that, in the morning,
when she had thoroughly bathed, and dressed in clean clothes, and
put on the white dress, the white apron,