e staying with friends at Teddington; Fay, an
aunt and the servants were already at Wren's End--all but Hannah, the
severe Scottish housemaid, who remained in charge. She was grim and
gaunt and plain, with a thick, black moustache, and Anthony liked her
less than he could have wished. But she had been Jan's nurse, and was
faithful and trustworthy beyond words. He would never let Jan go to the
country ahead of him, for without her he always left behind everything
most vital to his happiness, so she was to join him next day and see
that his painting-tackle was all packed.

The house in St. George's Square was nominally shut up and shrouded in
dust-sheets, but Hannah had "opened up" the dining-room on Anthony's
behalf, and there he sat and slumbered till she should choose to bring
him some tea.

He was awakened by an opening door and Hannah's voice announcing, not
tea, but:

"Miss Morton to see you, sir."

There seemed a thousand "r's" in both the Morton and the sir, and
Anthony, who felt that there was something ominous and arresting in
Hannah's voice, was wide-awake before she could shut the door again.

Sure enough it was Meg, clad in a long grey dust-cloak and motor bonnet,
the grey veil flung back from a very pale face.

Meg, looking a wispy little shadow of woe.

Anthony came forward with outstretched hands.

"Meg, my child, what good wind has blown you here this afternoon? I
thought you were having ever such a gay time down in the country."

But Meg made no effort to grasp the greeting hands. On the contrary, she
moved so that the whole width of the dining-room table was between them.

"Wait," she said, "you mustn't shake hands with me till I tell you what
I've done ... perhaps you won't want to then."

And Anthony saw that she was trembling.

"Come and sit down," he said. "Something's wrong, I can see. What is
it?"

But she stood where she was, looking at him with large, tragic eyes;
laid down a leather despatch-case she was carrying, and seized the edge
of the table as if for support.

"I'd rather not sit down yet," she said. "Perhaps when you've heard what
I've got to tell you, you'll never want me to sit down in your house
again ... and yet ... I did pray so you'd be here ... I knew it was most
unlikely ... but I did pray so ... And you _are_ here."

Anthony was puzzled. Meg was not given to making scenes or going into
heroics.

It was evident that something had happened to shake her out of h