"No, Susan," Jane told her firmly. "I have decided to look out for myself from now on; I am plenty old enough." Miss Blythe looked very tall and dignified as she said this, and Susan went meekly away to call the cab, fingering Mr. Towle's money as she did so with an air of guilty reserve. It was quite dusk when Jane's modest luggage was finally strapped atop the cab, and Jane herself was seated within. Poor Susan stood blubbering at the curb. "I wisht to 'eavin's you'd think better of it, Miss Jane Evelyn," she whimpered. "I 'ate to see you a-goin' hoff like this wi' nobody to say good-by but me, an' a nice gent'man likely a-breakin' 'is 'eart to bits when 'e finds you're gone." "Pooh!" said Jane, rather faintly; "he'll not care. Nobody will care but you, my good Susan. Good-by, _dear, dear_ Susan! And thank you again for everything you've always been doing for me!" "Oh, Miss Jane Evelyn, if you do be set on going'--as I see you be, I 'ope as 'ow you'll 'ave a most 'eavinly time, an' come back merried to a rich gent'man--for they do say as 'ow all the gents in Hamerica is a-rollin' in gold an' di'mon's; an' 'eavin knows you deserve the best of heverythink, Miss Jane Evelyn; that you do! God bless you, miss, an' thank you kindly! Good-by!" Then the cabby slammed the door and Jane found herself rolling away to Belgravia Crescent, where Mrs. Markle, clad in a voluminous traveling cloak and heavily veiled, was waiting to join her. Mrs. Markle pressed the girl's hand in her fat, moist palm. "I was beginning to fear you would not, after all, come wiz me, dear child," she said sweetly. "I should have wept wiz ze disappointment." Once on board ship Mrs. Markle's manner changed perceptibly. "You will not bozzer me while at sea," she said to Jane, rather sharply, "_not--at--all_--you comprend? I am seeck--ah! I suffer wiz ze _mal de mer_, an' I not talk--nevaire. You sleep in anozzer cabin--ze stewardess she will show you. But stay, your jacket iss too--what you call it--too theen--not war-rm for the sea. It iss so cold--ugh! see! I make you warm wiz zis." And Mrs. Markle drew from her steamer trunk a luxurious fur-lined cloak which she threw upon Jane's slender shoulders. "Do you mean that you want me to wear this cloak?" asked Jane, astonished beyond measure. "Oh, thank you! You are very kind; but I think my own jacket will be quite comfortable. I could not wear a borrowed garment." The woman was smiling broadly, but the smile slowly faded as she stared at Jane's flushed face. "Eh--but w'y not?" she demanded. "You evaire cross ze ocean before zis?" "No," confessed Jane; "but----" "Zen you do as I say. You would fr-r-eeze in zis sing," and she fingered Jane's modest wrap contemptuously. "Come," she murmured persuasively; "you will please me--yes? I ha-a-te to have anyone wiz me feel ze discomfort. Ah, now, see!" Jane blushed resentfully, then sighed, as the luxurious folds fell about her little figure.