ad a broad
wrinkle across it. I have never seen a more unutterably abhorrent sight
than Titherington in evening dress. The nurse rebuked him for having
wakened me, which showed me that she was a fool as well as a wantonly
cruel woman. I had not been asleep and any nurse who knew her business
would have seen that I was only pretending. Titherington took no notice
of her. He was bubbling over with something he wanted to say, and twenty
nurses would not have stopped him.

"We had a great meeting," he said. "The hall was absolutely packed and
the boys at the back nearly killed a man who wanted to ask questions."

"McMeekin, I hope," I said feebly.

"No. McMeekin was on the platform--mind that now--on the platform. I
gave him a hint beforehand that we were thinking of calling in another
man if you didn't improve. He simply bounded on to the platform after
that. It'll be an uncommonly nasty jar for Vittie. The speaking wasn't
up to much, most of it; but I wish you'd heard the cheers when I
apologized for your absence and told them you were ill in bed. It would
have done you good. I wouldn't give tuppence for Vittie's chances
of getting a dozen votes in this part of the division. We had two
temperance secretaries, damned asses, to propose votes of thanks."

"For my influenza?"

"You're getting better," said Titherington, "not a doubt of it. I'll
send you round a dozen of champagne to-morrow, proper stuff, and by the
time you've swallowed it you'll be chirrupping like a grasshopper."

"I'm not getting better, and that brute McMeekin wouldn't let me look at
champagne. He gives me gruel and a vile slop he calls beef tea."

"If he doesn't give you something to buck you up," said Titherington,
"I'll set Miss Beresford on him. She'll make him hop."

The mention of Lalage reminded me that the meeting was the occasion of
her first speech.

I found myself beginning to take a slight interest in what Titherington
was saying. It did not really matter to me how things had gone, for I
knew that I was going to die almost at once. But even with that prospect
before me I wanted to hear how Lalage's maiden speech had been received.

"Did Miss Beresford speak at the meeting?" I asked.

The nurse came over to my bed and insisted on slipping her thermometer
under my arm. It was a useless and insulting thing to do, but I bore it
in silence because I wanted to hear about Lalage's speech. Titherington
did not answer at once, and when he d