ild with delight, and at the next her gaiety
seemed to be suddenly extinguished. The sun was setting behind the towers
of Westminster in a magnificent lake of fire, and it seemed like the sun
going down at Peel, except that the lights beneath, which glistened and
flashed, were windows, not waves, and the deep hum was not the noise of
the mighty sea, but the noise of mighty millions.

They landed at Westminster Bridge and went to a tearoom for tea. When
they came out it was quite dark, and they got on to the top of an
omnibus. But the town was now ablaze with gas and electric lights that
were flinging out the initials of the Queen, and Whitehall was dense with
carriages going to the official receptions. Glory wanted to be in the
midst of so much life, so the girls got down and walked arm in arm.

As they passed through Piccadilly Circus they were laughing again, for
the oppression of the crowds made them happy. The throng was greatest at
that point and they had to push their way through. Among others there
were many gaily-dressed women, who seemed to be waiting for omnibuses.
Glory noticed that two of these women, who were grimacing and lisping,
had spoken to a man who was also lounging about. She tugged at Polly's
arm.

"That's strange! Did you see that?" she said.

"That! Oh, that's nothing. It's done every day," said Polly.

"What does it mean?" said Glory.

"Why, you don't mean to say--well, this, Glory---- Really your friends
ought to take care of you, my dear, you are so ignorant of the world."

And then suddenly, as by a flash of lightning, Glory had her first
glimpse of the tragic issues of life.

"Oh, my gracious! Come along," she whispered, and dragged Polly after
her.

They were panting past the end of St. James's Street when a man with an
eye-glass and a great shield of shirt-front collided with them and
saluted them. Glory was for forging ahead, but Polly had drawn up.

"It's only my friend," said Polly in another voice.--"This is a new
nurse. Her name is Glory."

The man said something about a glorious name and a glorious pleasure to
be nursed by such a nurse, and then both the girls laughed. He was glad
they had found his tickets useful, but sorry he could not see them back
to the hospital, being dragged away to the bally Foreign Office reception
in honour of the Queen's birthday.

"But I'm coming to the ball, you know, and," with a glance at Glory,
"I've half a mind to bring my chum along wi