Open [35.2 MB]

218 THE WHITE SLAVE MARKET
in this country he would be watched until
he departed, it would be the easiest thing in
the world to find out whether the woman he
was taking with him was one in whose company
he had any right to be. These wretched
men feel more sure of their money and more
sure of their victims when they send them off
to distant places, and this is why the white
slave traffic extends over such immeasurable
distances. The great idea is to get the girls
away from any one who might protect them.
They are never allowed to write to any one,
and thousands of difficulties surround them
if they wish to escape.
A governess now happily married and
living not far from London relates an adventure
she had some years ago in London. She
answered an advertisement for a governess to
a motherless child who was in the house of her
father and in charge of an aunt. It all sounded
perfectly natural and reasonable . After a little
correspondence the girl was asked to send her
photograph ; this she did, and then she was
which was
engaged and was to go to her post,
a house in a rather unfashionable and decaying
square in London. On her arrival she
was received by a woman who announced
herself as the aunt of the child ; but the girl
did not like her appearance, as her hair was
dyed and her face was painted
she smelt of liquor. Presently the supposed
father came in, and he was still more objectionable-looking.
They offered the girl wine,
and in looking round the room she instantly
; moreover,