She caught her train—­glowing outwardly from the speed of her ride, and inwardly from the heat of adventure and the thought that at last she was being of some use.

The only other occupants of her third-class compartment were a friendly looking man, who might have been a sailor or other wanderer on leave, and his thin, dried-up, black-clothed cottage woman of an old mother.  They sat opposite each other.  The son looked at his mother with beaming eyes, and she remarked:  “An’ I says to him, says I, I says, ‘What?’ I says; so ’e says to me, he says, ‘Yes,’ he says; ‘that’s what I say,’ he says.”  And Nedda thought:  ’What an old dear!  And the son looks nice too; I do like simple people.’

They got out at the first stop and she journeyed on alone.  Taking a taxicab from Paddington, she drove toward Gray’s Inn.  But now that she was getting close she felt very nervous.  How expect a busy man like Mr. Cuthcott to spare time to come down all that way?  It would be something, though, if she could get him even to understand what was really happening, and why; so that he could contradict that man in the other paper.  It must be wonderful to be writing, daily, what thousands and thousands of people read!  Yes!  It must be a very sacred-feeling life!  To be able to say things in that particularly authoritative way which must take such a lot of people in—­that is, make such a lot of people think in the same way!  It must give a man a terrible sense of responsibility, make him feel that he simply must be noble, even if he naturally wasn’t.  Yes! it must be a wonderful profession, and only fit for the highest!  In addition to Mr. Cuthcott, she knew as yet but three young journalists, and those all weekly.

At her timid ring the door was opened by a broad-cheeked girl, enticingly compact in apron and black frock, whose bright color, thick lips, and rogue eyes came of anything but London.  It flashed across Nedda that this must be the girl for whose sake she had faced Mr. Cuthcott at the luncheon-table!  And she said:  “Are you Wilmet Gaunt?”

The girl smiled till her eyes almost disappeared, and answered:  “Yes, miss.”

“I’m Nedda Freeland, Miss Sheila’s cousin.  I’ve just come from Joyfields.  How are you getting on?”

“Fine, thank you, miss.  Plenty of life here.”

Nedda thought:  ’That’s what Derek said of her.  Bursting with life!  And so she is.’  And she gazed doubtfully at the girl, whose prim black dress and apron seemed scarcely able to contain her.

“Is Mr. Cuthcott in?”

“No, miss; he’ll be down at the paper.  Two hundred and five Floodgate Street.”

‘Oh!’ thought Nedda with dismay; ‘I shall never venture there!’ And glancing once more at the girl, whose rogue slits of eyes, deep sunk between check-bones and brow, seemed to be quizzing her and saying:  ‘You and Mr. Derek—­oh!  I know!’ she went sadly away.  And first she thought she would go home to Hampstead, then that she would go back to the station, then:  ’After all, why shouldn’t I go and try?  They can’t eat me.  I will!’