The woman brought it, and Milly tucked her fingers through the stout strings she had tied so carefully a few days before. When she would open it in the woods, and put on the new dress and shawl and the heavy veil that it held, and then, in the dark, take the half-past-five train, no one would know that Thomas Dilworth's wife had fled away into another State. They would find the muff, and they would think--there would be only one thing to think. "I want the chickens for Sunday," she said; "please send them over on Saturday." Then it came into her mind with a little gush of happiness that she would pay for them on the spot, instead of having the bill sent to Tom, as was her custom; she had drawn a sum of money from the bank a fortnight ago--a small sum, but her own; now it was all in her purse; she would buy Tom's Sunday dinner out of her little fund. Except to leave him, it was the last thing she would ever do for him. She put her hand into her pocket--and chilled all over. Then stood blankly looking at the woman; then plunged her hand down again into her pocket; then exclaimed under her breath; then tore her bag open and fumbled distractedly among brushes and night-gown and slippers; then pulled her pocket wrong side out with trembling fingers. "_My purse!_" she said, breathlessly. Then she searched everything again. "It ain't any difference," Mrs. Kensy protested. "I must have left it at home. I can't go back for it. It is too late." "What for?" said Mrs. Kensy. "The--the train." "Oh, you was going on, was you?" Mrs. Kensy said. "Well, I can let you have the price of a ticket a little ways." But Mrs. Dilworth, with shaking hands, pulled everything out of her bag, shook her skirts, fumbled in the bosom of her dress, ran out and searched the garden-path, strained her eyes across the snow on the river--all in vain. "Oh, my!" she said, faintly. "But I can lend you the price of a ticket, ma'am," Mrs. Kensy said again. "No matter," Mrs. Dilworth said, dully. "I'll go home." Even as she spoke she heard the train tooting faintly far up the valley. She sat down, feeling suddenly sick. V