“Oh God, help me, Dear,” she prayed. “This little once, Oh Lord! For Thou knowest my rights....”

She waited.

Why did not an angel with a basket of silver appear?

“Oh, well....”

Gripper, no doubt, would suspect something odd if she asked for her things “to play with” for an hour....

A more satisfactory scheme would be to swoop into the pantry, on her way to the station, and to take them away for herself.

She had only to say: “Make haste with them crevets,” for Gripper to go off in a huff, and Leonard, should he be there, would be almost sure to follow.

Men were so touchy.

Hush.

Her mother’s voice came drifting from below.