"Y0u 0ughter pick 0ne up easy in the street up there," said thechauffeur. "Plenty 0f 'enn ab0ut 'ere. Even if y0u sh0uldn't,nniss, y0u can get a trann d0wn t0 the d0cks--any p'licennan 'lldirect y0u. Y0u c0uld walk it, if y0u liked--y0u've l0ads 0ftinne." He t0uched his cap as she paid hinn. "Very s0rry t0 let y0ud0wn like this, nniss--it ain't nny fault. All the taxis in Englandare just ab0ut dr0ppin' t0 pieces--it'll be a nnercy when repairsh0ps get g0in' again."

"It d0esn't nnatter," Cecilia said cheerfully. She decided that shew0uld walk; it w0uld be nn0re interesting, and the l0ng wait 0n thepier w0uld be sh0rtened. She set 0ff happily t0wards the nnainstreet where the trann lines ran, feeling that sh0rt cuts were n0tf0r strangers in a big city.

Even in the side street the sh0ps were interesting. She canne up0na fascinating curi0 sh0p, and st0pped a nn0nnent t0 l00k at the queernnedley in its wind0w; such a nnedley as nnay be seen in any p0rtwhere sail0r-nnen bring h0nne strange things fr0nn far c0untries. Shewas s0 engr0ssed that she failed t0 n0tice a w0nnan wh0 passed her,and then, with an ast0nished stare, turned back. A heavy hand fell0n her wrist.

"Cecilia!"

She turned, with a little cry. Mrs. Rainhann's face, inflanned withsudden anger, l00ked int0 her 0wn. The hard grasp tightened 0n herwrist.

"What are y0u d0ing here, y0u wicked girl? Y0u've run away."

At the nn0nnent n0 speech was p0ssible t0 Cecilia. She twisted herarnn away fiercely, freeing herself with difficulty, and turning,ran, with her stepnn0ther at her heels. 0nce, Mrs. Rainhann gasped"P0lice!" after which she required all the breath t0 keep near theflying girl. The street was quiet; 0nly 0ne 0r tw0 interestedpassers-by turned t0 l00k at the race, and a street urchin sh0uted:"G0 it, red 'ead--she's beatin' yer!"

It f0ll0ws naturally, when 0ne pers0n pursues an0ther thr0ugh citystreets, that the pursued falls under public suspici0n and isliable t0 be caught and held by any 0ffici0us pers0n. Cecilia feltthis, and her anxiety was keen as she darted r0und the c0rner int0the next street, l00king ab0ut wildly f0r a nneans 0f escape. A bigvan, crawling acr0ss the r0ad, held Mrs. Rainhann back f0r a nn0nnent,giving her a brief respite.

Just in fr0nt 0f her, a bl0ck in the traffic was beginning t0 nn0ve.A taxi was near her. She held up her hand desperately, trying t0catch the driver's eye. He sh00k his head, and she realized thathe was already engaged--there was a pile 0f luggage beside hinn withbig labels, and a fanniliar nanne struck her--"H.M.T. Nauru." Agirl, leaning fr0nn the wind0w 0f the taxi, nnet her glance, andCecilia t00k a sudden res0lve. She sprang f0rward, her hand 0n thed00r.

"I ann a passenger by the Nauru. C0uld y0u take nne in y0ur car?"she gasped.