She bent forward, caught Polly's assent, and ran back to the child.

* * * * *

An hour later Mason found Laura with little Nelly lying heavily asleep in
her arms. At sight of him she put finger on lip, and, rising, carried the
child to her bed. Tenderly she put her down--tenderly kissed the little
hand. The child's utter sleep seemed to soothe her, for she turned away
with a smile on her blanched lips. She gave money to Mrs. Starr, who was
to nurse the little one for a week, and then, it seemed to Mason, she was
all alacrity, all eagerness to go.

"Oh! but we're late!" she said, looking at her watch in the street. And
she hastily put her head out of the window and implored the cabman to
hurry.

Mason said nothing.

The station, when they reached it, was in a Saturday night ferment.
Trains were starting and arriving, the platforms were packed with
passengers.

Mason said a word to a porter as they rushed in. The porter answered;
then, while they fled on, the man stopped a moment and looked back as
though about to run after them. But a dozen passengers with luggage laid
hands upon him at once, and he was left with no time for more than the
muttered remark:

"Marsland? Why, there's no train beyond Braeside to-night."