"But it is too good to last," she said to herself once or twice. "I _know_ something will happen, and I shall go out into the cold again." Of course she could not sleep; she thought of a dozen things at the same time. The spell of Camilla's magnetic personality, the calm strength and womanliness of Agnes Brenton, the charm and prattle of the children, held her in sway alternatively, and kept alive that new sense of warmth that had been kindled in her heart. Every now and then, too, Rupert Haverford would come into her thoughts. A note had been sent round from Mrs. Brenton's lodgings addressed to herself, and given to her just as she was going upstairs. In this Haverford had written that he regretted that he was called north on very important matters, but that he had spoken to the lady of whom he had told her, and that a home was arranged for her until she could make other plans. "My absence may delay the explanation you desire from my mother," Rupert had written, "but in the event of your requiring any reference, you will of course use my name." It was a brief and very businesslike letter, but Caroline felt grateful to him all the same. Assuredly he must have troubled himself about her even to have made such arrangements. Once indeed she felt a little qualm. "Perhaps Mrs. Brenton was right, and I ought to have asked his advice." The next moment, however, she dismissed this. "It cannot matter to him how I earn my bread." "I shall send him back the greater portion of the money he lent me," she determined at another moment. "I must get myself a few things to wear. I cannot go about with the children quite so shabby as I was to-day. But I shall not require more than half the money he lent me, and I shall pay the other off as quickly as I can get my salary." When she remembered his mother she laughed. "Explanation! ... It is very evident that he does not know her as well as I do." It was very late before Caroline's eyes closed drowsily, and then she had slept scarcely an hour when she was awakened with a start. Little hands were pulling her, and a little voice was whispering out of the darkness. "Caloline! ... Caloline! ... may I come into your bed?" Instantly the girl was awake.... She sat up and held out her arms. Dennis had warned her-- "If Miss Baby wants to rouse you and creep in with you, don't you let her, miss," she had said; "you'll want all the rest you can get, and children shouldn't never be encouraged in such goings on." But Caroline forgot to be sensible; rules and regulations went down before the sweetness, the delight of holding that warm little bundle in her arms so closely. Baby kissed her many times, whispered sleepily for a few minutes, and then lay quite still, one little loving hand linked in Caroline's. * * * * * Mrs. Brenton went back to the country the next day.