London was all loneliness and ill-health. I didn't make a friend,
and I starved myself, all to save money. Out of my pound a week I
saved several shillings--just because it was the habit of my whole
life to pinch and pare and deny myself. I was obliged to dress
decently, and that came out of my food. It's certain I must have a
very good constitution to have gone through all that and be as well
as I am to-day."

"It will never come again," said Hilliard.

"How can I be sure of that? I told you once before that I'm often in
dread of the future. It would be ever so much worse, after knowing
what it means to enjoy one's life. How do people feel who are quite
sure they can never want as long as they live? I have tried to
imagine it, but I can't; it would b_ too wonderful."

"You may know it some day."

Eve reflected.

"It was Patty Ringrose," she continued, "who taught me to take life
more easily. I was astonished to find how much enjoyment she could
get out of an hour or two of liberty, with sixpence to spend. She
did me good by laughing at me, and in the end I astonished _her_.
Wasn't it natural that I should be reckless as soon as I got the
chance?"

"I begin to understand."

"The chance came in this way. One Sunday morning I went by myself to