That Little Beggar

Book excerpt: 'That Little Beggar' is a novel by Edith King Hall. The story follows a middle-aged woman who is starting a new chapter of her life after the death of her father. While traveling to the countryside, she misses her connecting carriage and finds herself stranded at a rural train station. The station-master tells her that the nearest inn is four miles away and suggests she walk to the nearest hall, which is two miles away. On her journey, she reflects on her past life and begins to cry. Along the way, she meets a little boy who is crying because his dog, Jack, has run away.