I'd forgotten the width of the world which always seems to lie between.
My 'shining ship' has foundered. That's all."




CHAPTER II

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Penelope tapped sharply at Nan's bedroom door.

"Nan, are you ready? Your taxi's waiting outside."

"Ticking tuppences away like the very dickens, too!" returned Nan,
emerging from her room dressed for a journey.

It was a week or two later and in response to a wire--and as the result
of a good deal of persuasion on the part of Penelope--Nan had accepted an
engagement to play at a big charity concert in Exeter. Lady Chatterton,
the organiser of the concert, had offered to put her up for the couple of
nights involved, and Nan was now hurrying to catch the Paddington
West-country train.

"I've induced the taxi-driver to come up and carry down your baggage,"
pursued Penelope. "You'll have to look fairly sharp if you're to catch
the one-fifty."

"I _must_ catch it," declared Nan. "Why, the Chattertons are fourteen
miles from Abbencombe Station and it would be simply ghastly if they sent