The War-Workers

nd down the len

d cake, and she exerted all the affability and charm of which she held the secret, in talking to the soldiers. The packets of cigarettes w

ers for Mi

ike lightning from on

ray-

od at the end of the platform, heedless of the rain now pour

p and packing th

Miss V

am from the zinc pans of boiling water into which mug

a dry cloth! M

ou're splashing your u

ork waiting for me when I

you see one chap, quite a young fell

ed away i

nothing further for he

gst that noisy crew of workers round the big packing-cases and wash-tubs, each one s

office, also to be thankful that neither had she to walk back,

her letters with throbbing temples and a temperature that she felt to be rising rapidly. She pored over each simp

rom the station, her pale face glowing from the

only just

stairs. I've been in

e caused Miss Delmege ostentatiously to refrain from tea e

ranquilly: "Is there anyth

can answer t

har felt no strength to exert the sw

k up the

speak to you f

If only Brucey wouldn't fuss so! She migh

ke a private call from here

ted imp

-it's important. Lady

snatched t

t?" she as

Char?" came

turned Char officially, fo

ery slight stroke, and I want you t

he? Have you

ere isn't any immediate danger; he may get over it altogether, but-this is the first minute I've had-I am going back to him now

s there any

n is here, and most helpful. He carried your

ome at once

od-

the receiver,

njury that any one should be more ill than she

he regained posse

r round immediately. Sir Piers Vivian has been taken ill, a

verishly to make order amongst

ttered, "but I suppose I shall be

ter the car wa

letters I haven't been able to sign must be held over till tomorrow. By the way, didn't t

? Yes. She was

and say that I will arrange to see her s

an will be better by t

nk you. Good-ni

had put Miss Jones into her proper place again. She did not

long while to find Dr. Prince, and the chauffeur drove with maddening

d delay us worse," said t

g man, with a reputation that

f her father's state of health, he asked her with a quick loo

ugh, semi-involuntary, at th

ll been down with it, more or less. However, I can't afford to give

holiday," said the doctor decid

instincts to see any one looking as she did still upon her feet. The doctor, however,

r life, and had no thought what

evellyan met th

Not conscious. Will you go up, doctor? They'll have some dinner r

ered Char, with

e doctor, without looking a

er fur coat, hun

at's happen

urned giddy and fell across the hall sofa. Luckily it wasn't on the floor. Cousin Joanna was with him, and they got him flat on the sofa, and sent for Clark. I got here about the

s Dr. Cla

e frightened, Char; it's only what generally happens in these cases-his-his words

's look of anxious solicitude for

w," she said gently. "It's the left side of t

hand, you know. We shal

har said hoarsely: "I wo

n?" came the voice of Mi

and went slo

Miss Bruce told him later, with rather a reproachfu

ock to her,

when she went out this morning. She ought never

oing to be ill too?" exclaimed

t Miss Bruce attributed his tones entirely to concern on beh

l the difference, and now that, of course, there's no question of he

yan, and strode across the hall to m

went quietly up to Char's room, with offers of service

ow whether I may see father, I can go to bed-or go up to him, as the ca

a hint of resentment

hip you're here, miss?"

d Char shortly. "I

ped silently from the room

laims, was discussing Dr. Prince's verdict

triumph in beholding this justificati

she said reproachfully. "She thought you were still with Sir Pie

urning consciousness yet, though Dr. Prince thinks he may come to himself almost any time,

me down again much sooner

dly informed the secretary. "She can't

, I'm afraid," stiffl

you'll take the most devoted care of her. Le

anything I can do?" ask

Johnnie. You'll c

ng at him qui

here's nothing I can do tonight

ween us. We shall have a nurse down f

t up inste

miled

go to sleep, unless there's any change, when, of course, they'll fetch me. But Dr. Prince doesn't think t

more nearly disposed to wonder at s

Vivian, she would have much preferred at least to hear her declare that sleep would be utterly impossible to

sist upon merely lying down in her dressing-gown, nor did she reappe

no change dur

o'clock, then woke and rang

bout anxiously since seven that mor

Now, do, do lie down again and keep w

eling ill, and violently resented her own invol

e office?" she muttered. "Have y

yself," said Mi

did yo

nza, and quite unfit to move; and also tha

coldly. "It was quite unnecessary to mention my having influenza, Bruce

oked very muc

om me. Say that I must be rung up without fail when my secretary has gone t

iss Bruce, but she dared not

sitate to ring me up in any emergency. And no letters had better leave the office tonight-in fact, they can't, since there'll be nobody to sign them. What's that?... No, certainly not. How on earth could I depute such a responsibility to any one in the office. I shall have made some arrang

passionately: "I thought you were in bed. By the way, Char, I'm sorry, but we shall have to have the telephone disconnected. The house must be kept quiet, a

e absolutely hung up there; no

all got writer's cra

small leers at her official dignity, thought this one particula

ep you here when you ought to be in bed. My dear child, do you mean to say you'r

speak to yo

nutes. I'm going to give

e, her uncovered head thrown back to cat

er orders was full and serene as usual, even when she answered the chauffeur

atification of seeing her enter Char's bedroom and es

a further satisfaction when Lady

while she's not there to see to it. And yet she may be kept here indefinitely. It's quite possible that Sir Piers may ask for her when he comes t

would never keep her from her

an waived

member of the staff, she'd better have one of them out here every day to go through the work

armian that one had hoped,''

bout her father and the office-though, upon my word," said Lady Vivian warmly,

idea put into words, and said firmly: "Then, would you like me to write to Questerham and tell M

gged about without any will of their own. No, no! Ring up the office and get hold of the secretary

ing that all was arranged, and Miss Jones would come to Plessin

el Delmege has abdicated in favour of Miss Jones?

is in bed wi

her here, but Char nearly had a fit at the idea. She'll certainly think I've done it out of m

y Vi

ivian

e, that it's Miss Jones who is coming. And

ld never think any

se-majesté to her Directorship. I must say," observed Joanna thoughtfully, preparing to go upstairs

on of Miss Vivian's parent, Miss B