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PLEAS 219
saw that there would he no way of escaping.
Gathering all her wits together she maintained
as unsuspicious an attitude as she could,
and answered all questions very pleasantly
and naturally. They asked her if she had a
father or brothers, and before she realised
she was making a mistake she said she had
not, and it quickly occurred to her that she
should not have allowed these people to
imagine she had no one to protect her. How-
ever, 'she was shown up to her room, and
found it was a large bedroom with a big
double bed, and that it communicated with
another room. Here she was told to take
off her things and have a rest. Before the
woman left, the governess asked if there was
a letter-box near, as she wished to post a
letter, but she was told that all letters would
be posted for her and that she need not
trouble to go out. The girl waited until she
heard the woman who had accompanied
her upstairs descend, and then very quietly
she came out of the room and peered over the
bannisters. She could see down into the hall
below, and as no one seemed to be moving
about, with a fervent prayer that she might
be protected and enabled to escape she very
softly crept downstairs. Several times her
heart almost stood still as she thought she
heard some sound. She managed to get to
the front door, and had almost opened it when
she heard the door behind her open and the
man and woman tumbled out and made a
grab at her. The girl
said that she was so