Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-12-20
CHAPTER V.

morning She had submitted the pre-
vious evening to being handed into the
carriage where madame had already tax
on her place, and Godfrey had called
cut as they drove of
Il shall be with you in good time to-
morrow"
She made no reply at the time, because
her resolution was already formed to be
zone before he could arrive. She had
flown to her room on reaching the house,
and had spent a wretched and wakeful
night She had risen early and had
packed up her belongings, and was now
l.,iting until she could leave the house
without notice. For Nest, in her foolish
mind, had resolved that she would hide
herself from Freda and Godfrey and ev-
ervbody, and not hold communication
with them until she had achieved a po-
sition from which she could triumphantly
announce her success. When she was set
tied and earning her own living she
would allow them to know where they
might field her, and would say:
'SYoa both treated me as a foolish
Il
am a woman, and one who can stand
alone"
Her plans were all thought out, and
she only waited for the time when she
could put them into execution.
Her box was strapped up, and she left
strip of paper ON the top with ITO be
sent for" written on it. 1t was about 0
o'clock-the hour when Nine st. Aubert
was always occupied with her letters,
and cook and Fanny invisible. She stole
downstairs, ready equipped for fight.
TO her chagrin Perkins, the page, was
IN the hall, grin oyerspreading his face.
He sided up to her with his hand to his
mouth and said in whisper:
Wasn't she mad when she heard about
the professors Me and cook and Fanny
thought it right to let her know of your
goings on. Want cab9 Yef, should
advise you to go away before she comes
down-that / should"
Nest ran out, burning with shame and
anger No matter what happened, never
again would she set foot in Nine. St.
Aubert's. If she had to beg her bread
from door to door she would submit to
that rather than return. Her cheeks
were flaming, her eyes tingling with her
tears. She hurried ON, not caring with
er she went, until at length she was
forced to pause from sheer WEAKNESS.
She had reached street in some To-
cality unknown to her. Among the sec
ond-rate shops she noticed a sticky look
ing confectioners, and. feeling faint and
hungry, she entered and asked for tea.
A supercilious young woman presently
brought it, glancing at her up and down
as she laid it before her Nest, as she
swallowed the luke-warm beverage, tried
to collect her thoughts and arrange her
plans.
She had intended before she left Nine.
st. Aubert's to go direct to Mrs. Simp-
SON Thompson's, ask her to receive her
that very morning, and then send a mes
senger for her belongings. The house of
her new employer was in one of the
suburbs of London which she could reach
by rail in about an hour, and she knew
her way to the station from which she
was to start. Here, however, she was
quite lost as to direction, and must in
quire. She had very little money, and
must carry out her plans with the least
expense possible.
She took out her purse and counted its
contents, not noticing that she was an
object of attention to shabby man
who was lounging near the door. He
followed her at some. distance when she
presently paid her reckoning and left
the shop. 1t was a long way to the
train, but she did not take a cab. The
scantiness of the coins in her purse
alarmed her, and feeling of insecurity
prevented her from spending more than
was strictly necessary. 1t was noon
when, footsore and heartweary, she at
length reached the station.
There would be brain in few min
utes, and Nest, with a sense of relief
took her ticket. She put her purse in
her pocket, and, with her ticket clasped
IN her hand, hurried along the platform.
There was a crowd, ana she was dis
agreeably jostled on all sides. 1t had
been miserable morning, and she
longed to enter the train and rest. She
had chosen her carriage, and was Just
stepping in, when the crowd opened be-
lore her, and she saw Prof. Volkmarr
ieisureiy entering a carriage ahead of
her. He had found out her destination,
and he would be the first person she
should meet on arriving.
IT was one of Nests weaknesses that
she never paused to consider, and she
acted on impulse in the present instance
She rushed back to the waiting room
and let the train start without her. If
Prof. Volkmarr were following her to
Mrs. Simpson, hompson's she would qet
him make inquiries and find out that sire
had not arrived. Another train left IN
about an hour, and she would travel by
It.
She sank exhausted on seat Taking
her own way was not so much pleasant
thing after ALL Since she had refused
GeoHrey, and declined to accompany
Freda, she had endured more hardships
and humiliations than in the whole OF
The rest of her life. dim wonder if
the assertion of her own Independence
were worth the bitter price she was pay
ing crept into her mind.
She had been unable to eat srhen she
had been il the eonfectioner's that morn
ing and she felt dizzy. Prof. Volkmarr
must be gone by this time, and there
could be no danger in venturing to the
refreshment stall. After that she would