the most
interesting of buildings!

Inside those walls a hundred different households lived, and moved, and
had their being. Every experience of life and death, of joy and grief,
was acted on that stage, the innumerable curtains of which were so
discreetly drawn. Margot scanned the several rows of windows with a
curious interest. To-day new silk _brise-bise_ appeared on the second
floor, and a glimpse of a branching palm. Possibly some young bride had
found her new home in this dull labyrinth, and it was still beautiful in
her sight! Alas, poor bird, to be condemned to build in such a nest!
Those curtains to the right were shockingly dirty, showing that some
over-tired housewife had retired discomfited from the struggle against
London grime. Up on the sixth floor there was a welcome splash of
colour in the shape of Turkey red curtains, and a bank of scarlet
geranium. Margot had decided long since that this flat must belong to
an art student to whom colour was a necessity of life; who toiled up the
weary length of stairs on her return from the day's work, tasting in
advance the welcome of the cosy room. She herself never forgot to look
up at that window, or to send a mental message of sympathy and cheer to
its unknown occupant.

Oxford Terrace looked quite cheerful in comparison with the surrounding
roads,--and almost countrified into the bargain, now that the beech
trees were bursting into leaf. Margot passed by two or three blocks,
then mounting the steps at the corner of a new terrace, walked along
within the railed-in strip of lawn until she reached a house in the
middle of the row. A peep between draped Nottingham lace curtains
showed a luncheon table placed against the wall, after the cheerful
fashion of furnished apartments, when one room does duty for three, at
which sat two little sailor-suited lads and a pale mother, smiling
bravely at their sallies.

Margot felt the quick contraction of the heart which she experienced
afresh at every sight of Edith's changed face, but next moment she
whistled softly in the familiar key, and saw the light flash back.
Edith sprang to the door, and appeared flushed and smiling.

"Margot, how sweet of you! I _am_ glad! Have you had lunch?"

"No. Give me anything you have. I'm awfully late. Bread and jam will
do splendidly. Halloa, youngsters, how are you? We'll defer kisses, I
think, till you are past the sticky stage. I've been prowling about the
Park for