"Ah, poor woman! I am sorry for her," said Garstang, thoughtfully; "servants of that devoted nature are very rare. It is an insult to call them servants; they are very dear and valuable friends. But just think a moment, my dear. To have roused her from sleep and told her to dress and come with you--to join you in your flight would have seemed to her then so mad a proceeding that it would have resulted in her alarming the house, or at least in upsetting our project. She would never have let you come." "I am afraid you are right," said Kate, with a sigh. "I am sure of it, my child; but you must communicate with her at once. She must not be kept in suspense an hour longer than we can help. Let me see, I must contrive some way of getting a letter to her.--Ah, here we are." For the train had slowed while they were talking, and was now gliding gently along by the platform of the great dimly lighted station. A porter sprang on to the footboard as he let down the window. "Luggage, sir?" "No. Is the refreshment room open?" "Yes, sir." "That will do, then," said Garstang, and he slipped a coin into the man's hand. "Now, then, my dear, we'll go and have a hot cup of tea at once." "I really could not touch any now, Mr Garstang," said Kate. "That's what I daresay you said about your medicine when you were a little girl; but I must be doctor, and tell you that it is necessary to take away that nervous shivering and agitation; and besides, have a little pity on me." She smiled faintly as he handed her out of the carriage, and suffered herself to be led to where the cheerless refreshment room was in charge of a couple of girls, who looked particularly sleepy and irritable, but who had been comforting themselves with that very rare railway beverage, a cup of freshly made tea. "There, I am sure you feel better for that," said Garstang, as he drew his companion's arm through his and led her out of the station, ignoring the offers of cabman after cabman. "A nice, little, quick walk will circulate your blood, and then we'll take a cab and go home." She acquiesced, and he took her along at a brisk pace through the gas-lit streets, passing few people but an occasional policeman who looked at them keenly, and the men busy in gangs sweeping the city streets; but at the end of a quarter of an hour he raised his hand to the sleepy looking driver of a four-wheeler, handed his companion in, gave the man his instructions, and then followed, to sit opposite to her, and drew up the window, when the wretched vehicle went off with the glass jangling and jarring so that conversation became difficult. "There!" said Garstang, merrily; "now, my dear, I am going to confess to a great deal of artfulness and cunning." She looked at him nervously. "This is a miserable cab, and I could have obtained a far better one in the station, but now you have come away it's to find peace, quiet, and happiness, eh?" "I hope so, Mr Garstang."