"
She knelt down beside the sobbing girl and took Ethel in her arms,
and tried to comfort her.
"Sure, then, cry dear, and wash away all the sins of this night.
It's the salt of yer tears that'll cleanse yer heart an' fall like
Holy Wather on yer sowl. Ssh! There! There! That's enough now. Stop
now an' go back to yer room, an' slape until mornin', an' with the
sunlight the last thought of all this will go from ye. Ssh! There
now! Don't! An' not a wurrd o' what's happened here to-night will
cross my lips."
She helped her cousin up and supported her. Ethel was on the point
of fainting, and her body was trembling with the convulsive force of
her half-suppressed sobs.
"Come to MY room," said Peg in a whisper, as she helped Ethel over
to the stairs. "I'll watch by yer side till mornin'. Lane on me.
That's right. Put yer weight on me"
She picked up the travelling-bag and together the two girls began to
ascend the stairs.
Ethel gave a low choking moan.
"Don't, dear, ye'll wake up the house," cried Peg anxiously. "We've
only a little way to go. Aisy now. Not a sound! Ssh, dear! Not a
morsel o' noise."
Just as the two girls reached the landing, Peg in her anxiety
stepped short, missed the top step, lost her footing and fell the
entire length of the staircase into the room, smashing a tall china
flower-vase that was reposing on the post at the foot of the stairs.
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