on. Margaret's was distinctly the
pleasanter work of the two.

The sharp air of the north had brought back the glow to Margaret's eyes
and a freshness to her rather London-bleached cheeks. She looked a
deliciously fresh and pleasing waitress in her crisp indoor V.A.D.
uniform. The red cross on the front of her apron was as becoming to
her as a bunch of scarlet geraniums. It was too hot, standing so near
the steaming urns, for hats and coats, so she had the advantage of
showing her rippling hair. The cosy atmosphere of the room made her
forgetful of the severity of the wintry atmosphere outside. Margaret's
pretty figure and dark head appearing above the buffet-counter were
certainly great assets to the free-refreshment-room. Her aunt, who was
a conscientiously undemonstrative woman, felt proud of her niece. She
more than once that evening thought to herself what pleasure the girl's
beauty would give to the men. It was unfortunately against her
principles to allow Margaret to even guess how much she both approved
of her and admired her.

Her aunt's thoughts were correct. Margaret's pretty head and her dark
eyes were remembered by many an aching heart that night; from her hands
the tea and coffee they drank had more flavour than that which was so
casually dispensed to them in the army canteens.

"Here they come, Margaret!" her aunt called out, as the door opened and
a crowd of khaki-clad figures poured into the room. Most of their
faces brightened as they saw the inviting buffet.

They had only twenty minutes in which to enjoy their refreshment and
change trains; most of them were going to London. This was only one of
the many train-loads of men which would visit the room that night.
There were about forty men, pushing and elbowing their way to the
counter.

With a sharp-spouted, blue-enamelled tin jug in her hand, Margaret
began her work, quickly filling the empty cups on the counter. As fast
as her active movements would allow her she filled and refilled the
saucerless cups. What seemed a never-ending stream of men pushed
forward and tried to get closer to the counter.

"Help yourselves, please, to sandwiches and cakes," came from
Margaret's lips every few minutes, for some of the men were shy--she
had to keep on repeating the invitation. She had scarcely time to
glance at them, or raise her eyes from the cups which she was filling.
As there were no saucers, it required a steady hand to prevent the