arted with her watch, she had no
idea of the time, but catching sight of a clock in a public building,
she was horrified to find it was nearly a quarter to nine. The days at
that season of the year were long, and this particular evening had been
more than usually light; moreover, she had been entirely preoccupied
with her quest, so she had never given a thought to the rapidly passing
hours. For the first time the question of where she must sleep presented
itself to her.

"I must get back to Liverpool," she thought, "and apply at one of the
shipping offices. The docks aren't very far away, so I can get engaged
as stewardess and go on board some ship at once, I expect."

But in the meantime a meal was an urgent necessity. She was sick and
faint from want of food, and felt as if her tired feet could scarcely
carry her farther. Seeing a modest confectioner's shop with a notice
"Teas Provided", she went in and asked for some refreshment. The
proprietress, a little elderly woman, struck partly by the weary look on
her face, and partly by the unusual circumstance of a girl of her age
coming into the shop alone to ask for tea at so late an hour, took her
into a small parlour, and while laying the table and bringing in the
meal, insinuated a few skilful questions as to where she was going.
Gipsy had decided to pose as a working girl, so she answered readily
enough that she was on her way to Liverpool, to find a post as assistant
stewardess; and she wished to be very quick over her tea, so that she
might go at once to the shipping offices, procure an engagement, and
proceed at once to her vessel.

The expression on the woman's face changed from curiosity to sympathy,
and then to utter consternation, as Gipsy briefly stated her intentions.

"But my goodness gracious! You'll never get a situation at this time of
night!" she broke out. "Why, don't you know all the offices close at
half-past five?"

Gipsy had not known, and the news struck her like a deadly blow.

"The offices all closed! Do you mean to say I can't get on board ship
to-night?" she gasped. "Then where in the world am I to go?"

The woman shook her head dubiously.

"Best go back where you've come from," she remarked.

"I can't! I can't!" cried Gipsy. "That's absolutely impossible. Oh! why
didn't I know of this before? What shall I do? What shall I do?" and
springing up excitedly from the table, she burst into a flood of tears.
For the first time she realized