“If you’ve not been here before, then you must have been behind,” said the Hall Porter; “and, if one is behind, they are late, don’t you know? You are fined sixpence,” he added, taking sixpence from his pocket and handing it to Girlie.
“What is this?” she asked.
“The sixpence that I fined you, of course,” replied the Hall Porter.
“But what am I to do with it?” asked Girlie in surprise.
“Oh! findings’, keepings,” muttered the Hall Porter, walking away. “Put it in your pocket; you’ll want it soon.”
And, sure enough, before she had gone many steps along the stone corridor, Girlie came to a great door with the words “Admission, sixpence” written on it.
After knocking timidly, she waited awhile, till it was, at last, opened by a policeman, who, silently taking the sixpence which she offered him, motioned her to a seat near the door.
“Well, it’s a good thing that I was fined, or I should never have got in here,” thought Girlie; and she sat down and looked about her curiously.
“‘DON’T TAKE ANY NOTICE OF THEM, DEAR.’”