ittle social refinement should have passed through, and
emerged so successfully from, the unimaginable retreat. If Nurse
Smaith had been beautiful and slim and of elegant manners they could
not have controlled their chivalrous enthusiasm.

"Very interesting," said someone.

Glancing at G.J., Nurse Smaith proceeded:

"You sy I didn't come home. But the money for my journey was due to
me. That's what I sy. Twenty-five francs for two weeks' wages and
ninety-five francs journey money."

"As regards the journey money," observed Sir Stephen blandly, "we've
never paid so much, if my recollection serves me. And of course we
have to remember that we're dealing with public funds."

Nurse Smaith sprang up, looking fixedly at Concepcion. Concepcion had
thrown herself back in her chair, and her face was so drawn that it
was no more the same face.

"Even if it is public funds," Concepcion shrieked, "can't you give
ninety-five francs in memory of those three saucepans?" Then she
relapsed on to the table, her head in her hands, and sobbed violently,
very violently. The sobs rose and fell in the scale, and the whole
body quaked.

G.J. jumped to his feet. Half the shocked and alarmed committee was on
its feet. Nurse Smaith had run round to Concepcion and had seized her
with a persuasive, soothing gesture. Concepcion quite submissively
allowed herself to be led out of the room by Nurse Smaith and Sir
Stephen. Her sobs weakened, and when the door was closed could no
longer be heard. A lady member had followed the three. The committee
was positively staggered by the unprecedented affair. G.J., very pale,
said:

"Mrs. Smith is in competent hands. We can't do anything. I think we
had better sit down." He was obeyed.

A second doctor on the committee remarked with a curious slight smile:

"I said to myself when I first saw her this afternoon that Mrs. Smith
had some of the symptoms of a nervous breakdown."

"Yes," G.J. concurred. "I very much regret that I allowed Mrs. Smith
to come. But she was determined to work, and she seemed perfectly calm
and collected. I very much regret it."

Then, to hide his constraint, he pulled towards him the sheet of paper
on which Concepcion had been making notes, and, remembering that a
list of members present had always to be kept, he began to write down
names. He was extremely angry with himself. He had tried Concepcion
too high. He ought to have known that all women were the same. He
had beha