“Oh!” she cried, presently, in a broken voice. “He didn’t treat me well at first--my husband--but this piteous clinging to me now--something chokes----” she flung her head back from me and wrenched with her hands at the bosom of her dress, as if the heart underneath were swollen to breaking. Then she tossed up her arms and, drooping her head, once more fell to a passion of weeping. “Zyp,” I said, quietly, when she could hear me, “what is it you want me to do?” “We want money, Renny----” she gasped, still with fluttering sobs, drying her eyes half-fiercely as if in resentment of that brief self-abandonment. “He has no spirit to make it now as he used. We have escaped to Southampton, intending to go abroad somewhere, and lose ourselves and be lost. We fled in a fright, unthinking, and now we can get no further. You’ll help us, Renny, won’t you?” “I’ll help you, Zyp, now and always, if you need it--always, as far as it is possible for me to.” “We don’t want much--enough to get away, that’s all. If he could only be free a little while, I think perhaps he might recover partly and be strong to seek for work.” “It will take me a day or two.” “So long? Oh, Renny!” “I must go to London to raise it. I can’t possibly manage it otherwise.” She gave a heavy forlorn sigh. “I hope it won’t come too late?” “You can trust me, dear, not to delay a minute longer over it than is absolutely necessary.” “You are the only one I can always trust,” she said, with a little, wan, melancholy smile. A sleek shine of moonlight was spreading so that I could see her face turned up to me. “You will come on to the mill, Zyp?” “Not now; it is useless. I hear my baby calling, Renny.” “But--what will you do?” “Walk back to Southampton.” “To-night?” “Part of the way, at least. When I get tired I shall sleep.” “Sleep? Where?” “Under some tree or bush. Where could I better?” “Zyp! You mustn’t. Anything might happen to you.” Her face took a flash of scorn. “To me--in the woods or the open fields? You forget who I am, Renny.” No insistence or argument on my part could alter her determination. Return she would, then and there. “Well,” I said at last, hopeless of shaking her, “how shall I convey the money to you?” “Jason shall come and fetch it.” “Jason?” “Yes. I can’t leave the child again. Besides, it will be better for him to move and act than sit still always watching and waiting.” “Very well, then. Let him come when he likes. To-morrow I will get the money.” She came and took my hand and looked up in my face. “Good-by, you good man,” she said. “Give me one kiss, Renny.” I stooped and touched her cheek with my lips. “That is for the baby,” I said, “and God bless Zyp and the little one.” She backed from me a pace or two, with her dark eyes dreaming. “Did you think I could ever be like this, Renny? I wonder if they will turn to me as they used?”