eten her little charge,
whom she took upon her lap. She did not look at Thyrza.

'Good-bye, Totty!' said the latter, holding out her hand.

'Good-bye!' Totty returned, but without appearing to notice the hand
offered. 'I hope you'll be better before next Monday, Thyrza.'

'You're unkind to-day, Totty. I wish I hadn't come in.'

There was no reply to this, so Thyrza said another farewell and left
the house.

She got back to her room, and, hopeless of otherwise passing the time
till Lydia's return, lay down on the bed. Perhaps she could close her
eyes for half an hour. But when she had turned restlessly from one side
to the other, there came a knock at the door. She knew it must be Mrs.
Grail, and made no answer. But the knock was repeated, and the door
opened. Mrs. Grail looked in, and, seeing Thyrza, came to the bedside.

'Aren't you well, my dear?' she asked, gently.

Thyrza made pretence of having just awoke.

'I thought I'd try and sleep a little,' she replied, holding her face
with one hand. 'No, I don't feel quite well.'

'Lie quiet, then. I won't disturb you. Come down as soon as you'd like
some tea.'

It was a weary time till Lydia returned, although she came back nearly
half an hour earlier than usual. Thyrza still lay on the bed. When they
had exchanged a few words, the latter said:

'I don't think I can go to-night, Lyddy. My head's bad.'

'Oh, what a pity! Can't we do something to make it better?'

Thyrza turned her face away.

'I'd altered my mind,' Lydia continued. 'I meant to go with you.'

'Really? You'll go with us?'

Thyrza felt that this would lessen the strange reluctance with which
through the afternoon she had thought of the concert. She at once rose,
and consented more cheerfully to try if a cup of tea would help her.
She bathed her forehead, smoothed her hair, and went down.

It was not long before Gilbert entered, he too having come away earlier
from work. In order to get a seat in the gallery of the concert hall,
they must be soon at the doors. Thyrza declared that she felt much
better. Her heavy eyes gave little assurance of this, but something of
her eagerness had returned, and for the time she had indeed succeeded
in subduing the torment within.

An omnibus took the three into Piccadilly. They were not too early at
the hall, for the accustomed crowd had already begun to assemble.
Thyrza locked her arm in her sister's, Gilbert standing behind them. He
whispered a word now