When the interminable night would end Mildred could not guess, for
no dawning was visible from her basement cell. The woman opposite
gradually became stupid and silent. Other prisoners were brought
in from time to time, but they were comparatively quiet. A young
girl was placed in a cell not far away, and her passionate weeping
was pitiful to hear. The other prisoners were generally intoxicated
or stolidly indifferent, and were soon making the night hideous
with their discordant respiration.
The place had become so terrible to Mildred that she even welcomed
the presence of the policeman who had arrested her, and who at
last came to take her to the police court. Must she walk with him
through the streets in the open light of day? She feared she would
faint on what, in her weakness, would be a long journey, and her
heart gave a great throb of gratitude as she saw Eoger awaiting
her in the large general room, or entrance, to the station-house.
Nor was her appreciation of his kindness diminished when she saw
a man in attendance--evidently a waiter from a restaurant--with a
plate of sandwiches and a pot of coffee. Roger came forward, eagerly
grasping her hand, and there was so much solicitude and sympathy
in his dark eyes that her tears began to gather, and a faint color
to suffuse the pallor that at first had startled him.
"Mr. Atwood," she murmured, "you are kindness itself, and I have
not deserved it. Forgive me. I will try not to fail you to-day,
for your respect sustains me, and I would not lose it."
"I knew your brave spirit would second all our efforts," he
said in like low tones, and with a bright, grateful look. "Here,
waiter--come, Miss Jocelyn, it's by just such prosaic means that
soldiers sustain the fight. You'll dine at home."
"Yes, hurry up," added the officer; "we have no time now for words
or ceremony."
She ate a few mouthfuls, and drank some coffee. "I cannot take any
more now," she said to Roger.
Oh, how plainly her womanly instinct divined his unbounded loyalty;
and, with bitter protest at her weakness, she knew with equal
certainty that she shrank from his love with her old, unconquerable
repugnance. With a dissimulation which even he did not penetrate,
she looked her thanks as the officer led the way to the street,
and said, "Since your friends provide the carriage, you can ride,
miss; only we can't part company."
She stepped into the coach, the policeman taking the opposite seat.
"Oh, God, how pale and wan she is! This will kill her," Roger
groaned, as she sprang up on the box with the driver.
It was so early that few were abroad, and yet Mildred would not look
up. How could she ever look up again! The leaden clouds seemed to
rest upon the steeples of the churches. Churches! and such scenes
as she had witnessed, and such a wrong as hers, were taking place
under the shadow of their spires!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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