now　there　was　almost　no　time　t。　The　center　of　her　mind　was　filled　with　the　image　of　the　great；　white　clock　at　the　railway　station；　on　which　thehands　did　not　cease　to　move。

‘You　going　where？’　her　mother　asked　sharply。　But　she　knew　that　her　mother　hadunderstood；　had　indeed　long　before　this　moment　known　that　this　time　would　e。　Theastonishment　with　which　she　stared　at　Florence’s　bag　was　not　altogether　astonishment；　but　astartled；　wary　attention。　A　danger　imagined　had　bee　present　and　real；　and　her　mother　wasalready　searching　for　a　way　to　break　Florence’s　will。　All　this　Florence　knew　in　a　moment；　and　itmade　her　stronger。　She　watched　her　mother；　waiting。

But　at　the　tone　of　his　mother’s　voice　Gabriel；　who　had　scarcely　heard　Florence’sannouncement；　so　grateful　had　he　been　that　something　had　occurred　to　distract　from　him　hismother’s　attention；　dropped　his　eyes　and　saw　Florence’s　traveling…bag。　And　he　repeated　hismother’s　question　in　a　stunned；　angry　voice；　understanding　it　only　as　the　words　hit　the　air：

‘Yes；　girl。　Where　you　think　you　going？’

‘I’m　going；　she　said；　‘to　New　York。　I　got　my　ticket。’

And　her　mother　watched　her。　For　a　moment　no　one　said　a　word。　Then；　Gabriel；　in　achanged　and　frightened　voice；　asked：

‘And　when　you　done　decide　that？’

She　did　not　look　at　him；　nor　answer　his　question。　She　continued　to　watch　her　mother。　‘I　gotmy　ticket；’　she　repeated。　‘I’m　going　on　the　morning　train。’

‘Girl；’　asked　her　mother；　quietly；　‘is　you　sure　you　know　what　you’s　doing？’

She　stiffened。　seeing　in　her　mother’s　eyes　a　mocking　pity。　‘I’m　a　woman　grown；’　she　said。

‘I　know　what　I’m　doing。’

‘And　you　going；’　cried　Gabriel；　‘this　morning—just　like　that？　And　you　going　to　walk　offand　leave　your　mother—just　like　that？’