In her little dark frock, without any hat, wearing her thin shoes and those black silk stockings which she had secured in so mean a manner, Kitty entered the village of Gable End and called at Miss Weston’s. Miss Weston was astonished to see the girl, and not a little frightened.
“I want you to help me,” said Kitty. “I want you to lend me an old hat and a jacket and a pair of gloves, and I want you to give me a pound. You need not make that white muslin frock, for I shall not need it. You can keep the four pounds, and give me one—will you? If you don’t——” But there was a look now on Kitty’s face which frightened Miss Weston.
“’Ave you got into trouble, my dear?” she said in a whisper.
“Yes, awful, awful; I can’t speak about it. I must go back to Aunt Gloriana; she will tell me what to do.”
“I’ll give you the pound, my dear. Can you get to ’er to-night?”
“Yes, oh yes. Don’t keep me, or I may miss my train. Thank you, Miss Weston. I’ll send you back your things.”
“If I could ’elp you in any way, my dear”——
“You can’t, no one can. God is angry with me.”
Kitty left Miss Weston’s house. The astonished dressmaker did not speak; but at the end of an hour, when the train to Folkestone was safely on its way, she put on her hat and jacket and went up to The Red Gables School. She inquired for Mrs. Fleming, and was ushered into her presence. “If you please, ma’am,” she said, “I think it only right to tell you that one of your young ladies came to me in great trouble. She wanted money to go back to Folkestone, and I gave it to ’er, ma’am. She was in very fearful trouble, ma’am, and said that God was angry with ’er. She seemed such a bright young lady too. I never saw ’er like that before.”
Just then Peggy rushed into the room. “Have you found her?” she asked in a distracted sort of voice.