's
pocket. But a pleasant young woman came forward to take Bridget's bag.

'Mademoiselle Cook--Cookson?' she said interrogatively. 'I have a letter
for Mademoiselle. Du medecin,' she added, addressing the major.

'Ah?' That gentleman put down Bridget's bag in the little hall, and
stood attentive. Bridget opened the letter--a very few words--and read
it with an exclamation.

'DEAR MISS COOKSON,--I am awfully sorry not
to meet you to-night, and at the hospital to-morrow.
But I am sent for to Bailleul. My only brother
has been terribly wounded--they think fatally--in a
bombing attack last night. I am going up at once--there
is no help for it. One of my colleagues, Dr.
Vincent, will take you to the hospital and will tell me
your opinion. In haste.--Yours sincerely,

'ERNEST HOWSON.'

'H'm, a great pity!' said the major, as she handed the note to him.
'Howson has taken a tremendous interest in the case. But Vincent is next
best. Not the same thing perhaps--but still--Of course the whole
medical staff here has been interested in it. It has some extraordinary
features. You I think have had a brother-in-law "missing" for some
time?'

He had piloted her into the bare _salle a manger_, where two young
officers, with a party of newly-arrived V.A.D.'s were having dinner, and
where through an open window came in the dull sound of waves breaking on
a sandy shore.

'My brother-in-law has been missing since the battle of Loos,' said
Bridget--'more than a year. We none of us believe that he can be alive.
But of course when Dr. Howson wrote to me, I came at once.'

'Has he a wife?'

'Yes, but she is very delicate. That is why Dr. Howson wrote to me. If
there were any chance--of course we must send for her. But I shall
know--I shall know at once.'

'I suppose you will--yes, I suppose you will,' mused the major. 'Though
of course a man is terribly aged by such an experience. He's
English--that we're certain of. He often seems to understand--half
understand--a written phrase or word in English. And he is certainly a
man of refinement. All his personal ways--all that is instinctive and
automatic--the subliminal consciousness, so to speak--seems to be that
of a gentleman. But it is impossible to get any response out of him, for
anything connected with the war. And yet we doubt whether there is any
actual brain lesion. So far it seems to be severe functional
disturbance--which is neurasthenia--aggrav