with Mrs. Moore: for Minnie would be so grieved, she said, if I went
to an hotel or took private lodgings. But I wouldn't hear of that
myself. I knew nothing of the Moores--in my present condition--and I
didn't like to trust myself in the hands of those who to me were
perfect strangers. So I decided on going to the Imperial Hotel, and
calling on the Moores quietly to pursue my investigation.

Another question I asked in the course of the evening. I had
wondered about it often, and now, in these last straits, curiosity
overcame me.

"Aunt Emma," I said unexpectedly after a pause, without one word of
introduction, "how ever did you get those scars on your hand? You've
never told me."

In a moment, Aunt Emma blushed suddenly crimson like a girl of
eighteen.

"Una," she answered very gravely, in a low strange tone, "oh, don't
ask me about that, dear. Don't ask me about that. You could never
understand it.... I got them... in climbing over a high stone
wall... a high stone wall, with bits of glass stuck on top of it."

In spite of her prohibition, I couldn't help asking one virtual
question more. I gave a start of horror:

"Not the wall at The Grange!" I cried. "Oh, Aunt Emma, how
wonderful!"

She gazed at me, astonished.