"I wish I could get hold of that woman." By "that woman" she meant the woman with whom poor Jim Tenny had eloped.
"I do," said Ellen, bitterly.
"But it's something besides that made you run over here," said Abby.
"I'll tell you when we go up to your room," replied Ellen.
When the dishes were finished, and the two girls in Abby's little chamber, seated side by side on the bed, Ellen still hesitated.
"Now, Ellen Brewster, what is the matter?
You said you would tell, and you've got to," said Abby.
Ellen looked away from her, blushing.

The electric-light from the street shone full in the room, which was wavering with grotesque shadows.
"Well," said she, "I ran away." "You ran away! What for ?" "Oh, because." "Because what ?" "Because I saw somebody coming." "Saw who coming ?" Ellen was silent.
"Not Granville Joy ?" Ellen shook her head.
"Not-- ?" Ellen looked straight ahead.
"Not young Mr.Lloyd ?" Ellen was silent with the silence of assent.
"Did he go into your house ?" Ellen nodded.
"Where were you ?" "In grandma's." "And you ran away, over here ?" Ellen nodded.
"Why, Ellen Brewster, didn't you want to see him ?" Ellen turned from Abby with an impatient gesture, buried her face in the bed, and began to weep.
Abby leaned over her caressingly.

"Ellen dear," she whispered, "what is the matter; what are you crying for?
What made you run away ?" Ellen sobbed harder.
Abby looked at Ellen's prostrate figure sadly.

"Ellen," she began; then she stopped, for her own voice quivered.

Then she went on, quite steadily.