The two women were left alone, and Miss Erroll crouched wretchedly in her chair, not daring to look up and meet Cissy's glance of scorn. She started when the girl's voice fell on her ear--clear, cold, disdainful. "What shall you do now?" The woman lifted her face, deadly pale, but grown suddenly calm with a great despair. "I must go away--at once!" she answered. Then she fell at Cissy's feet. "You, who have been so good already--grant my last prayer," she faltered. Cissy looked down in silent inquiry at the haggard face. "Do not tell Mrs. Fitzgerald of this story until I am gone out of her house forever. I love her and the darling children; they have been good to me, and I could not bear their reproaches. I will go now and pack my trunk, and send for it later. Let me steal out of the house, like the wretched outcast I am, before you tell them my miserable story." "Your wish is granted," answered Cissy, huskily. She went away then to her own room and sat a while in earnest thought. Then she went to Miss Erroll's door and tapped softly. It was opened by the governess, who had made such speed that her hat and cloak were already on and her trunk strapped. "You are going now?" asked Cissy. "Yes." "Where?" "To seek some humble lodging-house, and begin again the horrible struggle of a lonely woman for an honest living," the poor wretch answered, bitterly. "Have you any money?" "Fifty dollars that I have saved in the few months that I have been here--enough to starve on perhaps until I find another situation." "Take this to help you," Cissy said, pressing a hundred-dollar bill into her hand. "Oh, Miss Carroll, I cannot. You, too, are poor. It may be your little all." "No, I have more. In fact, I received two hundred dollars yesterday from a lawyer in New York, who has been managing some lawsuits for me against a villain who brought a false claim against my grandfather's estate, and thus threw me penniless on the world. My lawyer has won the suit, and I shall have several thousand dollars of my own very soon." "I congratulate you, Miss Carroll. You deserve all the good fortune that can fall to a noble woman. Heaven forever bless you. I accept your gift gratefully, because--because it--may save me, poor tempted wretch, from a life of sin." "That was why I gave it to you. I hoped it might keep you in the right path." "It shall! It shall! Oh, Miss Carroll, I am a repentant sinner, and since I am spared this time, I will never be tempted to do wrong again! I swear--I swear to you, in return for your angelic goodness--that I will repent my sins, seek God's forgiveness, try to lead a good life, and meet you--angel that you are--in heaven!" She snatched Cissy's hand, pressed her burning lips upon it, and rushed from the house out into the blinding snow storm that darkened the air. Then Cissy went to Mrs. Fitzgerald to tell her of all that had transpired, and to help her to bear the terrible suspense over Geraldine's fate.