seemed a great thing then, and had disturbed her very much, but now,
after all she had recently gone through, it seemed a very trivial matter.

To the other it did not appear so small a matter, to judge from her black
looks. She got up and moved about the room again, and then once more sat
down beside the girl.

"Now tell me your own story--everything from the moment you got the
telegram up to our meeting in the Gardens."

With half-averted face she listened, while the girl again began the
interrupted narration, and went on telling everything to the finish,
wondering at times why Mary sat so silent with face averted, as if afraid
to meet her eyes. But when she finished Mary turned and took her hand.

"Poor Fan," she said, "you have gone through a dreadful experience, and
scarcely seem to understand even now what danger you were in. But there
will be time enough to talk of all this--to congratulate you on such a
fortunate escape; just now I have got to deal with that infamous wretch
of a girl who still poisons the house with her presence."

She rose and rung the bell sharply, and when the boy in buttons answered
it, she ordered him to send Rosie to her.

"She's gone," said he.

"Gone! what do you mean--when did she go?"

"Just now, ma'am. She came up to speak to you when you came in, and then
she got her box down and went away in a cab."