"How is it you are out on such a night as this?" he asked. "Have you no
home? Where do you live?"

"Cracknell Court, Soho," she replied, in tones singularly free from any
trace of Cockney accent.

"With your parents?" queried Leroy, feeling for some money.

"No," said the girl, her red lips quivering for a moment. "Haven't got
any--only Johann and Martha--and they don't care."

"Who is Johann?" said Leroy, with an encouraging smile.

"I don't know," she answered listlessly. "He's Johann Wilfer, that's
all."

"Why have you run away, then?"

"Johann came home drunk and beat me--so I ran out."

She pushed back her ragged shawl and held up her arm, on which bruises
showed up cruelly distinct. Leroy uttered an exclamation of anger.

"You poor child!" he said almost tenderly. "What can I do for you? If I
give you money----"

"Johann will take it and make me beg for more," she interrupted; and
Leroy withdrew his hand from his pocket, fearing this to be but too
true.

"Will you go home, if I take you?" he began.

The girl shook her head, and dragged the old shawl closer round her
shivering body.

"Not till morning," she said decidedly. "I shall be all right then."