But the future? How strange the past had been! In her thoughts three-bladed knives, Buddhas and curious Oriental banners were strangely mixed with log cabins, a hearse drawn by black horses, and an organ playing itself.
“Ah, yes, but the future!” she exclaimed. “There is always a to-morrow, to-morrow, and to-morrow. The grand, good, golden future! Who can be afraid?”
At that she snapped out the light to stand looking down upon the vast, mysterious city until the distant chimes rang out the hour of two.
“Ah!” she whispered. “My hour of enchantment!”
For a moment she stood with bowed head as if in prayer. After that, for long hours, this entrancing room knew her not. For long hours she was wrapped in sleep.
It was well that she had faith in the future for to-morrow was to bring events mysterious and terrifying.
The clock was preparing to strike the hour of ten on the following night before she ventured forth from her well-kept fortress, Lorena LeMar’s apartment. She had not forgotten her narrow escape from Miss LeMar’s friends, the three rich and very badly spoiled play-boys. “Not that they were likely to do me any real harm,” she had confided to Florence. “They were out for one wild night and wished me to join them. And that for me?” She had made a face. “No! No! Not for me! Never!”
That she might escape danger from this quarter, she had garbed herself in her ancient gypsy costume of bright red and had hidden herself inside a long drab coat that came to her ankles.
She realized that perfect safety was to be had only by remaining inside. But who wants perfect safety? Certainly not our little French girl.
As a further precaution she descended a back stairway and left the building from a little-used doorway.