d at that time. Odd, isn't
it, that the season should affect `Weltham Mansions'? It's the lap of
the waves, I suppose, but it seems a long way to flow. I could help you
to find cheap country quarters, and you could fit in your own holiday at
the same time, and so save travelling expenses. Lazing about in a
garden may not be exciting, but it's the rest you need. I knew a very
tired man who went off for a golfing week with a friend. His wife told
me he took a fortnight to recover. She said so to the doctor, and he
said, `Of course! What did you expect? It would have been better if he
had gone to bed.'"

He shrugged impatiently.

"Maybe it is quite true. I suppose it is. But when a man has only one
fortnight in the year, he might be allowed to enjoy it in his own way!
It's an idea, though--letting the flat. Thanks for the suggestion.
I'll speak to an agent."

Mr Hallett rested his big shoulders against my cushions, and said in
his low, grave tones:--

"You are a woman--you understand these things. Is there any way in
which I can help? It's pretty tough to see an old friend worried to
death, and just sit and look on--but Thorold's proud, and it's difficult
to interfere. It seems a cruel thing that illness should fall so
heavily upon the middle classes. The rich are independent, the poor
have hospitals; but a man in Thorold's position is no sooner through
with the mental torture than he is up against an army of bills. It
seems that Billie is bound to keep his nurses for several weeks longer.
That's a big item in itself."

It was! Often during these last weeks I had thought to myself what a
grand occupation it would be for an independent woman to train as a
nurse, and then give one or two doctors leave to call her in to serve--
without payment--in cases like the present, where need was great and
means were small. I went off into a day-dream in which I saw myself, in
cap and apron, acting as ministering angel to the suffering middle
class, to be roused by Mr Hallett's voice saying tentatively:--

"I'm a poor man, but I am alone in the world, so there's no object in
saving. Why shouldn't I settle a few of the bills for Billie's illness
and say nothing about it?"

I shook my head.

"Mr Thorold would find out and be furious. You must help openly, or
not at all. You have helped by keeping him company all these weeks."

He hitched his shoulders, and made a grimace of disparagement.

"It's a long t