The War-Workers

y. "If it hadn't been for this wretched flu, I should have been going out

would," agreed Mis

d, which was surrounded by a

sing-jacket, rather soiled and very much crumpled, a loosely knitted woolly jersey of dingy appearance and an ugly mustard colour, and over everything else an old quilte

d then to blow her nose violently. She had several times during the after

g of it, though," Miss Delm

ipped. Now, don't you think it would do you good to come

again. Fancy, I've been up here five whole days! And I'm really not a

ere, I'll put a kettle on, an

usly, "but don't bother. My hot-water bo

a-ta! You'll find me in the sitting

l right. I only hope you won't b

Miss Henderson, at the s

elmege had time to utter an

he now convalescent Mrs. Potter, who had been crouching over it with a novel all day-lit the gas, and turned it up until it flared upwards w

better have the room warm," she

rd-coloured jersey over a thick stuff dress, ha

en she came in to see how many of her charges w

had been required to carry upstairs of late, and had left the day before, and the cook was disobliging and would do

o engage one, and Miss Marsh had explained to her that in Miss Vivian's absence such trifling questions must naturally expect to be overlooked or set aside for the time being. So little

or toast. None of the munition girl

e office now. I said I'd be back at five, but I shouldn't hav

n never refuses a reasonable amount of le

er without her. There's

suppose she'll have work for all of us, as usua

her f

mony in her voice. "It does seem so quaint, her going to and from Plessing in M

nigger, and Miss Henderson and

other cup, and give her some tea before she goes over to the office. I

making inquiry, and Grace's voice

her what a lot of work there was, and she said, Get some one as soon as yo

ow you shall have a nice cup of hot tea

Mrs. Bullivant.

ly a cup and saucer wante

nto the sitting-room carefull

I'm so glad you're better. Miss Vivian asked after you. Sh

w's her

e well, and Dr. Prince is quite satisfied about him. And they've got a nurse at last. You

y could get one from one o

dn't think it a very good plan; she was afraid the hospitals couldn't spare

ng her back at the office?" as

r Sir Piers may remain at this stage indefinitely, or may

ork just the same!" ejaculated Miss

an," said Miss Delmege. "But I know her mother depends on her alto

sharply at Grace, saw the merest quiver of surprise pass across her face at the assertion; but reflected charitably that, after all, Delmege had h

ence faded from her expression when Miss Jones replied, with more enthusiasm than usual in her voice, that she always had lunch

rden. But she's not thoroughgoing, like Miss Vivian is, of course. It's quite

in herself that, influenza or no, D

sitting up, aren't you, d

Delmege said in pinched accents: "Who is it

ose aloof and refined tones were the prelud

e having "words," or to listen while Miss Delmege talke

rm coat, she went out, and

ough to a contemporary, that afternoon in the garden at Plessing. For all her quality of matter-of-factness, there was a certain humble-mindedness about Miss Jo

or a long while; then reflected that the privilege rightly belonged to Miss De

did not think that Lady Vivian proffered her liking or her confidence lightly, and felt a certain placid security that their unofficial intercourse wou

een. Only Miss Marsh, Miss Anthony,

e blacks to make up for th

quite so cold tonight.

the night fo

g influenza, but it happened that she was right. The

n Trevellyan came into the hall. He stood for an instant gazing ro

y, when Miss Vi

, than

ho was preparing to discard her overall an

to see me home! My Lewis hates my going back alone in t

erics, "that there's been a telephone warning to say an air-raid is on, just over Staningham. The

eristically supposed to be about either to bu

e perhaps not much more advanced th

ted his solicitude, at leas

thrilling! Can I possibly get on to the

l be over here in a few minutes, and our machines may be firing at

e off her overall a

e declared wildly. "Have you

d her forcibly from

hat they are all in a certain amount of danger-not so much from bombs, though goodnes

, I, for one, refuse to go. We're not childre

le of the hall and announced in penetrating accents that a Z

and then Captain Trevellyan raised his voice: "Please kee

we to do?" gasped Tony, nex

stant but unmistakable reverbe

vantage of the sudden cess

n there, please-just for precaution's sake. And then I'm going to pu

ny danger. I can answer for every woman here!"

e into the midd

" she asked gently. "There is

Anthony, and they went throu

revellyan saw that they had lit a candle, and in a moment

lking and laughing. The others made a dash for the door as the f

takable. They could see the shrapnel bursting, and th

ng herself out of the door. "They've

hen suddenly revealed the cigar-shape

it's coming down. Miles away, by this time.

g wings, and very far away a red lig

of the bursting of shrapnel, but

lyan, dashing back into the kitchen. Every one was talki

ree, of them in flames! I saw them with my own eyes!" she proclaimed, with more spiri

felt as though it were right over our heads. But,"

help it. They sent me down on purpose to see that this place was warned. It wa

h I do awfully wish I'd seen it. They must have had a

re," said Lesbia cuttingly. "I saw

as looking f

t was very good of you. I felt such a brute for asking you to do it; but there real

d Grace thoughtfully, "whether

the time. Not that she'd be nervou

Piers. Oh, I do hope they didn

ou please, Sister, could you come do

ce

d escorted Mrs. Willoughby to her tram,

did not know the meaning of fear, and, anyway, Puffles wou

with a spirited account of all that she had se

soldier with his hand bound up lurched out

ere to shut the place u

in there, sir. Beg pardon, s

who had owned, with a white face, how muc

t was dark, but there wa

here?" s

lied an enfeebled voice; an

sink, her small face haggard, her hands clutching the on

aimed Trevellyan, looking des

ght; please

rought the brute down. It'

ied his re

" gasped Miss Jones, lo

r here. We should have seen signs of fi

!" Grace told

and repeated in an obtuse manner:

ack at him wi

It's very tiresome, but the sight of-of blood always upsets me like this, and t

ead as though the effort of speech had

xclaimed Trevellyan. "Let

not. Oh

ike this," protested

eet, and stood holding o

going to be sick," sh

ocked up the Canteen and

e that; it's the only way I'm delicate, because I'm never ill, and I don't ever have nerves. But it is very tiresome. That's wh

d l

s why I said I'd stay behind and lock up. I knew it was

raid that had upset you, and th

tic," said Miss J

g to those of the Hostel when

nd Mrs. Potter and Miss Marsh, leaning from it, and listening eagerly, had heard every word of Captain T

to the hall

ony was in such a state when she found yo

beastly rai

d the raid with as much e

a sheet, dear! Come

and the pseudo-invalids who, having been in bed when the raid began, felt that o

was just going back to see wha

ter. "You know, the Staff Officer one. She's been awfully

hast. "You were all right all the time

perfectly cool myself when anything happens-I was tonight-but I generally suffer for it afterwards. Reacti

a funny thing, but I simply didn't feel the least bit of fear. Not for myself, you know. I just thought, well, I hope mother doesn't see

his tea," said Mrs. Bullivant to Grace. "Y

" Grace told her as she took the tea gratefully

oked rather

ear? I do hope it isn't a

xcitement and was bleeding like a fountain, poor fellow! I thought you looked rather squeamish while you were doing it, poo

int," said G

ing by your face now," said To

come back to find you?"

e I was still there, and after

erwa

ur crept into M

y. "It always does make me rather ill to see blood, though I know it's idiotic, a

nded Miss Delmege, with an inexplicable to

ically. "If you really want to kno

horrified the Hostel, no less tha

n, "you really are the lim

l for you! Miss Vivian's cousin and all, too! But, sti

oing to face him again, though

minced Miss Delmege. "He must hav

brought poor Gracie home, and delighted to have the chan

when they were outside the sitting-room door, she said, without troubling to lower her voice: "Don't you mind their nonsense, dear. You co

ie's bed for her, and put her kettle on to the ga

of you to tell the truth. Lots of girls would have fibbed, and said the

ffair herself as being more than a merely unfortunate incident, but she knew that Miss

go straight to sleep. It's frightfully late. And look here, Gracie, when we're alone