He came and knocked at the door.

"Is Fan here?" he called huskily. "Where's the girl got to, I'd like to
know?"

She remained silent, shrinking back trembling in her corner; and after
waiting a while and getting no answer he went grumbling away, and
presently she heard him go out at the street door. Then she sprang to her
feet, and stood for a while intently listening, with a terror and hatred
of this man stronger than she had ever felt before urging her to fly and
place herself for ever beyond his reach. Somewhere in this great city she
might find a hiding-place; it was so vast; in all directions the great
thoroughfares stretched away into the infinite distance, bright all night
with the flaring gas and filled with crowds of people and the noise of
traffic; and branching off from the thoroughfares there were streets,
hundreds and thousands of streets, leading away into black silent lanes
and quiet refuges, in the shadow of vast silent buildings, and arches,
and gateways, where she might lie down and rest in safety. So strong on
her was this sudden impulse to fly, that she would have acted on it had
not Mrs. Clark returned at that moment to the room.

"Come, Fan, I've made you up a bed in my room, and if he comes bothering
for you to-night, I'll soon send him about his business. Don't you fear,
my girl."

Fan followed her silently to the adjoining room, where a bed of rugs and
blankets had been made for her on four or five chairs. For the present
she felt safe; but she could not sleep much, even on a bed made luxurious
by warmth, for thinking of the morrow; and finally she resolved to slip
away in the morning and make her escape.