What said she ?" "Sir, she covered her face with her hands for perhaps the space of a minute.

Then she leaned forward to the Governor, who stood by her carriage, and cried, 'Shut four walls about me quick! I could sink into the earth for shame.'" Wogan in those words heard her voice as clearly as he saw her face and the dry lips between which the voice passed.

He had it in his heart to cry aloud, to send the words ringing through that hushed room, "She would have tramped here barefoot had she had one guide with a spirit to match hers." For a moment he almost fancied that he had spoken them, and that he heard the echo of his voice vibrating down to silence.

But he had not, and as he realised that he had not, a new thought occurred to him.

No one had remarked his entrance into the room.