the chocolate while she pondered over what she should do. She could
think of no one she could go to besides Mr. Gay. How would he receive
her after her escapade?

"He knows so many play actors," she murmured,--"didn't he say I had a
stage face? I wonder--I wonder."

And still wondering she rose and straightened the bed. Shifting the
pillow she found beneath it the purse she had placed there before going
to sleep. Excitement and exhaustion had driven it out of her head. She
felt quite remorseful when the remembrance of the chivalrous young man
came into her mind.

"Ah me," she sighed. "I'll warrant I'll never set eyes on him again. I
do hope he wasn't hurt."

Lavinia looked at the purse wistfully. She had not had the opportunity
of seeing what it contained. It was of silk with a silver ring at each
end to keep the contents safe, and an opening between the rings. One end
had money in it, in the other a piece of paper crackled. She slipped the
ring at the money end over the opening and took out the coins--a guinea,
a crown and a shilling.

"I don't like taking it. He gave it me to pay the waterman and I hadn't
the chance. It isn't mine. I ought to return it to him. But how can I? I
don't know where he lives. I don't even know his name."

Then she fingered the other end. She slid the ring but hesitated to do
more. To look at the paper seemed like prying into the owner's affairs.
It must be something precious for him to carry it about with him.