But still there came over her a cold feeling of fear when her aunt spoke to her of the police.

The law might give the police no power over her; but was there not a power in the hands of those armed men whom she saw around her on every side, and who were seldom countrymen of her own, over and above the law?
Were there not still dark dungeons and steel locks and hard hearts?
Though the law might justify her, how would that serve her, if men--if men and women, were determined to persecute her?
As she walked home, however, she resolved that dark dungeons and steel locks and hard hearts might do their worst against her.

She had set her will upon one thing in this world, and from that one thing no persecution should drive her.

They might kill her, perhaps.

Yes, they might kill her; and then there would be an end of it.