rse Spiller, it''s the rules of the house. Here''s a new set, look, and a gown and—look here—slippers.''
She had gone to one of the cupboards and brought out a set of greyish underthings, and a wool gown, and boots. She came back to me, holding them, and Nurse Spiller joined her; and it was no good then how hard I argued and cursed, they got hold of me and stripped me bare. When they took off my petticoat, that glove of Maud''s fell out. I had had it under the waistband. I bent and caught it up. ''What''s that?'' they said at once. Then they saw it was only a glove. They looked at the stitching inside the wrist.
''Here''s your own name, Maud,'' they said. ''That''s pretty work, that is.''
''You shan''t have it!'' I cried, snatching it back. They had taken my clothes and my shoes; but I had walked and torn and bitten that glove all night, it was all I had to keep my nerve up. I had the idea that, if they were to take it, I should be like a Samson shorn. Perhaps they noticed a look in my eye.
''One glove''s no use, after all,'' said the dark nurse to Nurse Spiller, quietly. ''And remember Miss Taylor, who had the buttons on a thread that she called her babies? Why, she''d take the hand off, that tried to get a hold of one of those!''
So they let me keep it; and then I stood limp and let them dress me, through fear they would change their minds. The clothes were