"'This purse contains fifty-five pounds. Forty pounds in Bank of
England ten-pound notes, for my dear and only child, Lovedy Joy;
fifteen pounds in gold for my stepdaughter, Cecile D'Albert. To be
spent by her in looking for my daughter, and for no other use whatever.

"'Signed by me, Grace D'Albert, on this ninth day of September, 18--'

"Cecile," said Jane suddenly, "you must let me keep this paper. I
will send it back to you if I can, but you must let me keep it for
the present. What I did to-night might have got me into trouble. But
this will save me, if you let me keep it for a bit."

"Yes, Jane, you must keep it; it only gives directions; I know all
about them down deep in my heart."

"And now, little one, I'm sorry to say there's no more sleep for you
this night. You've got to get up; you and Maurice and Toby have all
three of you to get up and be many, many miles away from here before
the morning, for if Lydia found you in the house in the morning, you
would not have that purse five minutes, child, and I don't promise as
I could ever get it back again."

"I always meant to go away," said Cecile quietly. "I did not know it
would come so soon as to-night, but I'm quite ready. Me and Maurice
and Toby, we'll walk to London. I have got half a sovereign that Mr.
Preston gave to Maurice. We'll go to London first, and then to
France. Yes, Jane, I'm quite ready. Shall I wake Maurice, and will
you open the door to let us out?"