procure what she required. She threaded the
still silent streets, lit by the pale light of
the winter daybreak, until she came to the
Close, and found herself standing before
that perfect old building, the cathedral.
Presently a decrepit old man made his way
across the green, and unlocked a side-
door. There was to be an early service,
and he was come to put all in order:
Maud followed him. Hers was not what
may be called a religious temperament.
She had not found, perhaps she had not
looked for, much comfort in church
services; and when she bent her knees each
morning, it was to confess, indeed, that she
was unworthy of the least of all God's
gifts, but not that she sought for strength
to meet the trials of the day. Those trials
were not of a kind that most readily lead
such natures to look for help beyond this
world. Devastating sorrows, great shocks
of fortune, and the like, may bring even
the proudest and least dependent souls to
turn their eyes to "the hills whence cometh
our salvation:" but the irritations of daily
life rarely kindle a great faith.

She had decided, in her impetuous way,
that this strange and hazardous enterprise
was a right thing for her to undertake;
and, having so decided, she had acted without
doubt or misgiving as to her own
conduct. But the feverish excitement under
which she had been living for the last few
days had now somewhat abated; for the
first decisive step from which there was no
drawing back was taken; and now after
her night's journey as she slowly paced the
sacred aisle, from which the shadows were
being driven in the strengthening
daylight, the reaction began: a sense of her
own solitude, of her utter friendlessness in
the world upon which she had chosen to
cast herself, came over her like a great
wave. Surely she had done well? Was
not independence the noblest state after
which any of God's creatures could strive?
And, on the other hand, was it not a vile
thing for any human being, capable of
earning her own bread, to live upon the
charity of one whom she despised, and who
did not conceal his desire to be rid of the
incumbrance? Surely it was true that
God helps those who help themselves? And
then some desire to ask that help came
upon her, and, half-unconsciously, she slid
down upon her knees beside a pillar, and
prayed as she had never done before.

"Come, mum, you must be a-movin' on.
No prayers allowed 'ere, in the nave.
Reg'lar prayers, if you wants 'em, at
mornin' service, in a quarter of a hour."

Maud started to her feet, and with a
look of indignation at the doorkeeper of
the House of God, walked quickly away.
But those few minutes left their mark upon
her throughout that day.

After wandering about the streets for
some time, she came to a shop which
provided all that she required. Her black
silk she exchanged for a grey alpaca; her
bonnet for one which had no remnant of
young-ladyhood about it; and a carpet-
bag, full of such articles as were absolutely
necessary, but all of the plainest and
coarsest description, was hoisted upon the
back of a boy, and carried for her to the
station.

Maud got into an empty second-class;
but this time she was not to be alone: just
as the train was starting, a florid patent-
polished man of forty, or thereabouts,
bustled into the carriage, with two large
hampers, and took his seat upon the bench
opposite Maud, but not directly in front of
her, by reason of her carpet-bag, which,
being on the floor beside her, formed a
barricade. The man, no doubt, in his own
class of life, was reckoned eminently well-
looking. There was a good-humoured
smirking self-satisfaction in his face which
told of bodily comfort, mental ease, and
general social success. The glossy blackness
of his whiskers, which depended low
over his waistcoat, the oily undulations of
his hair, the beady blackness of his eyes,
resembled a portrait done on glazed
cardboard with a BB pencil. By the time it
had reached the nose and mouth the point
of the pencil had become somewhat coarse
and blunted. But the artist had been
eminently successful in the clothes. How
beautifully black and smooth they were!
What attention he had paid to that satin
stock, transfixed with two pins connected
by a chain, to the glittering watch-guard
and seals, to the cornelian ring upon the
finger! How one felt that, if exhibited in
a shop-window, and ticketed, "In this
style, seven and sixpence," the admiration
of a discerning public would lead them to
go and be "done" likewise!

Maud did not take in all these details at
a glance, and it was no more than a glance
she gave to her fellow-traveller; then she
turned her head, and looked resolutely out
of window. But the train was scarcely in
motion when he began, with an oily briskness
of voice and manner:

"Fine morning for the time of year,
miss?"

"Yes."

"Going far on the rail? What station?"