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the name he had given to my husband who was ing off that train and not known for his patience that of a well-known boxer. bar bar Anyway, that took place the day before I left and as sorry to say goodbye to him. You know, he l his cab and saw me to the train."

llWas he a fatherly man?"'

No, Jon, he wasn't. He wasn't much older than . I would say in his middle thirties.

But he had a

JB-EVERY and five children."

On. They are a roantic race, the French."

Yes, they are, John."

bar bar And now he asked the question: "Are you glad to

back?"' bar bar The smile slid from her face as she said, "I don't

Jtow yet. I know only that I had to come."

J'"What do you mean, you had to come?"' fi

"'Again, I can't give you a straight answer, but anething happened. You mightn't believe his.

Jagination, you will say, or subconscious desire Jupting. But it happened when I was sitting at the j--tfle desk in front of the window of my room.

The ene outside was very pleasant. The hotel was on a

Jroad but the sun was shining on a row of plane and there were a lot of people busying about. ything looked bright and gay." She ooked fully m now. "I can remember thinking: it's a lovely so why don't I stay here instead of going on to

Spain? It was as I pulled my Baedeker towards me- I had all but made arrangements, at least in my mind that Spain would be my next experience-when-" she stopped and looked down at her hands clasped tightly in the lap of her brown skirt and said, "it was so real: I... I felt Leonard behind me. I felt that I could put my hands up like this" comshe now raised her arms quickly above her head- "and touch his face. He often used to stand behind me while I sat at the dressing-table. But I knew he was there and I felt cold from head to foot, until it seemed that his hands came on my shoulders, and" comshe paused again- his voice was as clear in my bead as if he had spoken aloud. "Go home," he said. "No more trailing about. You won't forget me by trailing around." And, you know-" She blinked her eyes tightly now before looking squarely at John and saying, 'allyou know, John, I spoke aloud, I mean I answered him aloud. I said, "I don't want to forget you.

I never want to forget you." And he said, "I know, dear, and I don't want you to forget me. Tie will ease the pain, but only if you go home and... and stay there." And then, John, you can believe me that his words were definite when he said, "Whatever happen to you, stay there." In a way, it was frightening as... as if something really was going to happen to me."

John had hold of her hands now, saying,

"Nothing's going to happen to you that is in any way bad. But I believe what you have said. Such were his feelings for you, he was aware of your efforts to escape the pain of his loss, and that by doing so you e keeping him earthbouad; and you know what Ssaying is: there are more things in Heaven and J less-than have than this world dreams of."

i bar bar he drew her hands from his now and rose from s couch. But he did not move. He watched her Sk towards the fireplace and stretch her hand out t'grip the mantelpiece and he strained to hear her Ssper, "You are quite rigt: there are more hings. was so real, I... I turned round expecting to see h or his ghost, or someting that would actually JB me that he had been there. There was nothing; Jm that moment I was filled with the urge to " And now she turned towards him, and she "So here I am. And, you know, it's so good (ack to see you again, and Daisy. You're the . o friends I have, real friends, that is. I can myself when I'm with you or Daisy, but with noil else; not even with Rosie. No, I can't be myself this Rosie. I... I couldn't have told Rosie what I've S told you. I love Rosie because she is my sister, , nd although she is married now I still look on her is someone very young.

Yet, in a way, she too has

J through the mill."

es' comand he nodded- "Oh, ye, she went igh the mill all right, and she is no longer the

g girl, but the young matron, and I don't hink 11 be long before her figure will announce she ing to be a young mother."

bar "Really! Really! Oh! that's wonderful."

H "Yes, and she thinks so, too. And, of course,

diswell, there is no other young married woman, to his knowledge, who has ever carried a child: his wife is the first who is experiencing this process."

She smiled now, saying, Oh, I must go and see her.

"She would like that. Yes, she would. You just want to pop in. I know you have written to her once or twice but, like me, this time yesterday I thought you were in Timbuktu, or Borneo, or the Congo or some such place."

She now said quietly, "Would you like some tea?"'

"I would. Yes, I would."

She pulled on the bell-rope and when Johnson opened the door, she said, "We'll have tea, Johnson,

please."

To John, the man's manner was forbidding, and after the door had closed behind him, he said, "I must confess, Helen, I can't stand that fellow."

At this, Helen laughed, saying, Yes, he is a bit pompous, isn't he? But he was very attentive to Leonard. And, of course, he had been in Frederick's service for some time. But not all that long, now I come to think of it, because he took the place of Beecham who was a lovely old butler. Now he had worked for the family since he was a boy. Anyway, I have had to rely on him, being away so long, and he's looked after everything very well. And the accounts are all in order. He pratically insisted tat I go through them this morning-"

her voice dropped now as she said, 'He wanted me to see that he bad saved on the housekeeping, which I'm sure hasn't pleased Cook, for Mrs Dolly Jones likes her food, as they all do.

And because they work for it and I Be. It's been rather a trying moing. And I splie it is because of him I was welcomed with open s by the staff, inside and out." ell, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who larently can't stand him."

bar ohnson did not deign to push in the tea trolley, I Hannah Worth did, smiling, and when she said, bar greater-than odday Doctor," he answered her, "Good-day, bar anah. How's life?"'

IR-NE. Fine, now that we have' comshe glanced to bar ds Helen- "the mistress back. Oh by! yes, fine." bar ohnson's back became straighter, if that was posle, and he spoke now to the maid, saying, "Leave IH will see to the pouring."

There's no need, Johnson, thank you." It was bar ten speaking.

le man seemed to sigh before he turned and with fcasured tread left the room.

bar so Helen poured out the tea she said, Would you Sfc to bring your mother over some evening, John? used to manage the journey in the carriage all lit F"

fO, she would like that. Yes, you tell us the time and we'll be here."

Oh make your own time-I don't intend to go ting.

And the only other one I want near me is sy. So whatever time you're free from surgery, bar that send word and Henry will be over with the' -- B laughed-

"conveyance."

He could hardly believe he was actually sitting here drinking tea and munching deli es with her. Daisy had said it would be a long road before Helen came alive, but her prent demeanour suggested to him that she had already started 10 it, only for him naturally to ask hims 1 what her coming back to life would affect tilife'because Beatrice still loomed large; and beyol her'the law

, i He drew together lie last of his patients had gone.tie

papers on his desk and put m mto afolder anding up and breathing d @y That's that!" Then he wet mto the dispen ashedhis hands and stoodf into the small mirror abov t slnKnowledge as J- comedUeandsb

[ate, he had lost flesh his W

ie really only thirty-two? If we

If in the street he would guess hs age as to.

en he heard the outer door open a Ins pt-

,rs voice calling, Are you ther less-than have ed a moment before answering, *

Cornwall had caed : greater-than . Perhaps only twice before co % using his Christian name: one ridng him for having seen to t P. SB-DEDFOR

three weeks while he wamho his leg attended But

,d first arrived, within the first other occasion was when he had commiserated with him over his estranged marriage. This was after he had been called to the house to see to Beatrice.

When he strode back into his surgery, it was to see the doctor seated in the patients" chair.

"Can you spare a minute?"' Cornwallis said.

"Yes, of course."

"Well, you'd better sit down," his partner said, and indicated his chair across the desk.

John sat down and waited.

"D'you know if anyone has it in for yo, besides your wife?"'

It was an odd question. John turned his head one way and then the other as if thinking before he replied,

"Likey tere are a few, but they haven't come to the surface. Why are you asking?"'

"Because of this." The doctor pulled from his pocket a letter and handed it across the desk.

John saw that the envelope was addressed to Doctor Cornwallis, and he paused before extracting the sheet of paper from it. Then his eyes widened as he read:

Dear Sir,

I think it should be brought to your notice that your assistant Doctor John Falconer,

is bringing disgrace on your practice and is losing you patients. He has for some time been causing comment in the town by his over-frequent visits to a widowed lady. As is well known, he is a married man.

But o make matters worse and to make the situation worse in the eyes of decent

5ople, this lady is sister to his wife. It is known bar some quarters that the lady has tried to reise him, and that his insistence is causing her

"tress. Moreover, as I said in the beginning,

"Jandr, your practice is going to suffer, for women lecially will be deterred from being attended 1 by an immoral man.

dk Signed, A well-wisher.

JSANDHN peered over the top of the letter at his partner jIB-OCTOR Comwallis said That doesn't sound like bar bar No? No! This is not from Beatrice."

dis.fHave you any idea of who could be in the know gards your personal life, such as that indicates?"'

nodded towards the letter that John had laid on desk, and it was a full minute before he was Jten an answer. And then John said, 'I have a lMg suspicion. But still, you can't pin this kind of Bg on anyone unless you have pof. I do, howt, agree with you that this isn't Beatrice's style ail: she would have it out face to face, probably pubUc."

iallyes, that's how it struck me." Doctor Comwallis bar Hed himself to his feet now, leant over, picked up letter from under John's hand, saying,

'One can't Ji much about this, except talk it over with the lady question. Has she any personal friends in whom e might have confided?"'

4 Only one, and you know her: Mrs Daisy Wheatad." *f 'Oh yes. I know Mrs Wheatland, and you can rule

her out straightaway. And anyway, to my mind, this is a man's hand. Too clinical, so to speak, to come from a woman."

"A man's hand. Yes." John was nodding to himself: he felt certain he knew to whom the hand belonged. And he was made to ask himself what that man could hope to achieve more than he had done already.

"Well, now you know where you stand I'd be on your guard. How is Lady Helen, by the way?"' And Dr Comwallis gave a short laugh now as he said, "I'm asking the road I know because I was talking to Peters last week, and he seems to think she's under a great strain. Apparently, she's never given way since she lost her husband, and he thinks that's bad, and I do, too. Tears are a saving grace to both body and mind. Bottle them up and you're asking for trouble. I'm always happier when I find women crying their eyes out." He grinned now, saying, "There's a paradox for you.

Medically speaking, tears are good medicine, but you shouldn't take such medicine for too long. It can become a habit."

He walked towards the door now, saying,

"I'm being very philosophical this morning, you'll notice, Doctor."

When John did not reply, the older man turned sharply towards where he was standing gazing down at the table, and he said, "Did you hear what I said? I'm being very philosophical this morning."

Yes. Yes, Doctor, I heard you what you said, and I endorse your philosophy."

'Good! Good! Well, I must away; but don't take

usiness too much to heart. If you want my addon't change the patte of your life. Now, , strange, isn't it? I think that the person who His, that letter has got an axe to grind and if you your time he'll come to light with the axe in do... Oh, I'd better go, else I can hear myself g I saw him fell the tree. And what would that ite?

My! My!" He went out, pulling the door y behind him.

in remained standing near the desk, telling himhat he wouldn't have to bide his dme to find ho had thought up that screed. Oh, no! Then Aed towards the door.

The old fellow was besry decent. He was a kindly, thoughtful man at

a although that was covered with a thick layer fishness up nearer the surface. But one could Xggk that. He had again called him John. That d he was conceed for him, and for that he rateful. Yes, he felt very grateful towards him. irugged his shoulders. It was a nervous action did not represent the feeling inside him, which ne of anger.

one dme he could open the front door and walk t of late he'd been obliged to ring the bell. This anoyed him, but he hadn't commented on it. lay, when the door was opened, he saw that on was very surprised to see him. And when sed by him without a word and made for the g-room, throwing his hat on the hall chair as 1 so, Johnson's voice said, 'Her

ladyship is not ting..."

3l! nced round on man, saying 7 alio adyship is expecting and whom sh

wio11 e

that." were to open the wing-room doo, less-than IS -- com* flb1 n nf this cteaeaful,, *

. or *

. 't. . lVery com"*""'6-iuuiHave Q, lsws out of the study at the end f t is'"

dis.H Hl aslde and waited until she had

*dor. ig-room. She gave him no

greetinI

dtl, he was upset. After closin

ent te co" g" he hurried towards whereI ut jor oi16 n the couch d, taking a seat besI

the as sitti at is it' Helen? What is it, my