unicate with them, rather than
with mere officials in an office?

At the door of the great building, Juliet hesitated and turned from the
street as if to retrace her steps. Should she go back to the Mary
Wright Ward, tell the Sister what she had overheard, and suggest
telephoning forthwith? For a moment the suggestion found favour, then,
with her foot outstretched to remount the first step, she drew back and
walked rapidly away. In the flash of a moment it had darted into her
brain as a crystallised resolution to give her information into no
second hand, but to go herself to the nearest call office and ring up
Eighty-one Grosvenor. The woman in the nearest bed had spoken of
mutterings. The sister had caught no coherent words. If death had
immediately followed her own interview, it seemed probable that no one
but herself had overheard the number.

Juliet's eyes brightened, and a flush of colour showed in her cheeks.
The information received might be of the driest; the sequel of reporting
it to the hospital authorities promised but small excitement;
nevertheless, in her uneventful life, small things counted as great, and
the touch of uncertainty fired her blood.

She seated herself in the little boxed-off room, and at the end of ten
minutes' wait received an affirmative answer to the oft-repeated
question.

"Yes. This is Eighty-one, Grosvenor. Who is speaking?"

Though she had waited so long, Juliet was still pondering how to word
her inquiries. It seemed useless to mention an unknown name, so on the
impulse of the moment she decided to give a simple account of the
accident.

"Alice White--" She was about to add--"has been mortally injured," or
some such statement, when, cutting swiftly across her words, came a cry
of relief from the other end of the wire:

"Alice White! _At last_! We've been expecting to hear from you all
day. It's urgent. Why didn't you wire?"

"I--I--" Juliet stammered in confusion, and the voice, a woman's voice,
interrupted again, in a sharp, businesslike accent:

"Never mind now. You can explain later. Are you alone?"

"Yes."

"That's right! Then listen to me, and give your answers in
monosyllables. I will spell any names you miss, if you ask me to
repeat. Don't attempt to pronounce them yourself, but write them down
in a note-book. There must be no mistake. Are you ready?"

"One moment." Juliet had no note-book, but a search in her bag found a
pencil and the bla