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flower-hunting expedition, he came riding on his chestnut mare down a lane at right-angles to the one in which they were rambling, passing so close that some sort of greeting was inevitable.
    Beryl, who was riding with him—looking very attractive in her well-cut linen jacket and workmanlike jodhpurs—contented herself with the briefest of nods, but after a moment ’ s hesitation, Andrew turned back, leaving his companion to go on alone, and trotted up to Catherine and the children.
    “ Good afternoon, ” he said, and though his smile was forced, it was nevertheless a smile. “ How are you getting along? ”
    “ Very well, ” Catherine returned coolly, wishing fervently that the children wouldn ’ t stare in quite so open a fashion. “ And you? ”
    He did not answer that last piece of conventional politeness. He asked, almost abruptly: “ Would you like to bring a dozen or so of the children to have tea in the hay next Saturday? I ’ ll provide the feast if they ’ ll bring their o wn mugs or cups. ”
    There were excited “ O-oh ’ s ” from the children, and Catherine, unable to disguise, her astonishment and pleasure, said frankly: “ It ’ s very kind of you. I shall have to ask Matron, of course, but I don ’ t imagine she ’ ll make the slightest objection. In fact she ’ ll be most gr ateful. ”
    Her eager response made his stiffness vanish in the most surprising way.
    “ I ’ ll tell you what. I ’ ll ring Matron up myself and ask her if it ’ s O.K., ” he said, smiling down at Ruth, who had stolen up and was stroking the chestnut ’ s silky neck. “ Meanwhile I ’ ll explain exactly where the little hay-field is to which I ’ m inviting them. ” He pointed with his riding whip. “ It ’ s the second field from here. You go straight through this grazing meadow where the heifers are, over the stile at the far corner, and there you are. They will be starting to cut it on Friday morning, if this weather holds. ”
    She thanked him again, and with a friendly wave of his whip to her and the children, he rode off to rejoin Beryl Osworth who by this time was nearly out of sight.
    The children ’ s delight over the invitation was immense, and it was a race who could get home first to break the news to Matron. It was Maureen of the pale cheeks and haunted blue eyes who won, and there was little trace of tragedy on her small, heart - shaped face as she went flying up the drive. She had heard from other children of picnics in the hay, but ten years ’ existence in a grim tenement, where the street, with its stale smells and foul litter, was the only playground, had given her no experience of such joys. She was almost beside herself with excitement.
    That Matron should refuse permission did not occur to any of the party, nor did she do so. She looked a little surprised certainly, but checking firmly Hilda ’ s sarcastic remark about Mr. Playdle ’ s “ sudden interest in the Home ” she declared that if he remembered to ring her up, she would glad l y let all but the tinies go. That would bring the number up to just about the dozen children invited.
    Andrew Playdle did remember, and most keenly did everyone at the Home watch for the weather for the next two or three days. No one was more assiduous in this direction than Maureen; but on the Saturday morning, though the weather held, Maureen ’ s luck did not. She awoke with a toothache so violent as to proclaim an abscess, and an appointment had to be made for her that very afternoon with the dentist at Great Garsford.
    It was planned at first that Hilda, the only free member of the staff, should take the sufferer in by bus; but as the morning wore on, and the child began to look ill and feverish, it was decided to hire a taxi. This, however, was not to be. A Red Cross fete at a village a few miles away had resulted in the booking-up of every hired car in the neighborhood, and since absolute urgency could not be pleaded, it seemed that the