And the time to catch the
train was very short. At the other side of the common was a long,
narrow, winding passage which, after a quarter of a mile of tortuous
turning, led right up a back-way to the great terminus. Kathleen had
given herself exactly the right length of time. Had nothing happened to
hinder her, she would have been on the platform three minutes before the
train came in. For reasons of her own she did not wish to be long there.
She had crossed the common when she looked behind her; Alice was still
running, but she was also in the distance.
"If I could only double, hide for a minute, and make her give up the
chase, all would be well," thought the mischievous Irish girl.
There was a great tree, which cast a huge shadow, just before the
winding passage was reached. Kathleen darted towards it. In an instant
she had climbed up and was seated securely in one of its lower branches.
"Now, if only she will be quick, she will run past me into the passage.
She will never get to the end in time. I shall slip down and go the long
way. I know it is a good bit farther, but she is not in it with me as
far as running is concerned," was Kathleen's thought.
Alice came up as far as the tree; she paused a minute and looked around
her. Kathleen in the gray darkness looked down at her. Kathleen's face
was completely in the shadow, but the light fell full on Alice's, and
her face, white and anxious, almost made the other girl laugh.
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