Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/102

 room Bob shared, took the opportunity of paying off certain old scores he had standing against Clem. Mr. Marple, the cab-driver, was very loud and very hoarse in condemnation of such barbarity. Mrs. Hewett, looking as if she had herself risen from a coffin, cried shame on the general heartlessness with which Jane was used.

Clara held to her resolve. She led Jane into the bedroom, then, with a parting shot at Miss Peckover, herself entered and locked the door.

"Drink some water, Jane," she said, doing her best to reassure the child. "You're safe for to-night, and we'll see what Mrs Peckover says about this when she comes back to-morrow."

Jane looked at her rescuer with eyes in which eternal gratitude mingled with fear for the future. She could cry now, poor thing, and so little by little recover herself. Words to utter her thanks she had none; she could only look something of what she felt, Clara made her undress and lie down with little