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this, the minute you get home? ’ the doctor exploded, the next morning.
    ‘ Leave her alone, dear, ’ Mrs. Kinglake broke in. ‘ She ’ s at that wretched hospital all the time. Can ’ t she feel free to do as she likes in her own home ?’
    Laurence grinned across at his sister. ‘ You really are a clot, you know, ’ he commented. ‘ If you drive the old man ’ s patients away there won ’ t be a home to come back to. No use relying on me. ’
    ‘ I don ’ t, dear, ’ Priscilla said loftily, and went out into the garden.
    It was another warm day—uncomfortably warm for the time of year. Gwenny was leaning on the top of the gate, gloomily wondering whether other people found that hedge and front garden as awful as she did. Priscilla strolled over to her.
    ‘ Whenever I come home you ’ re always lazing around, kid. Don ’ t you ever feel the urge to try and do something lucrative ?’
    ‘ Such as? ’ Gwenny asked mechanically. This was an old bone of contention between them.
    ‘ Well, I know you ’ re not old enough to sign up to be a nurse, but you could get a job of some sort, couldn ’ t you? Type or something? Make enough to get yourself some new clothes once in a while. Don ’ t you care how you look? ’
    ‘ Not really, ’ Gwenny said in a spent voice.
    ‘ Why not? I say, you ’ re not sickening for something contagious, are you? ’
    ‘ Probably, ’ Gwenny retorted by habit. Then, prompted by sheer curiosity, she asked her sister:
    ‘ Would you know if I was? I mean, is there some way you can tell if a person ’ s got something wrong and they don ’ t know themselves, could a doctor or a nurse spot it? ’
    ‘ Usually. Why? ’ Priscilla asked, narrowly observing Gwenny. ‘ You don ’ t look very fit, come to think of it. Don ’ t you feel well? ’
    ‘ Your questions come too quickly. The first one first — I ’ m asking you because I ’ m getting a bit interested in diseases, actually, and if Mummy and Daddy would let me, I might just have a shot at being a student nurse, though I don ’ t suppose I ’ d be much good at it. ’
    ‘ Good grief, fancy you coming to that conclusion. Well, if it ’ s just curiosity, I don ’ t see why I should waste my time, but if you ’ re under par, that ’ s different. ’
    ‘ Oh, never mind, ’ said Gwenny, preparing to go indoors.
    ‘ Don ’ t go yet, ’ Priscilla said hastily. ‘ About this Dr. Bayfield, what did he say to you—apart from what you told the family, I mean? ’
    ‘ What makes you think he said any more than what I told you all ?’ Gwenny protested.
    ‘ Because you looked so peculiar. So cagey. Did he mention me, for instance? ’
    Gwenny was swamped with relief. ‘ No, he didn ’ t mention any of us. He didn ’ t seem to know us. Why, do you know him? ’
    ‘ Of course I do. He was at my hospital, wasn ’ t he, until he got the job at Northmoor that Laurence wanted. Tell me again everything that happened. First, how long have you known him ?’
    ‘ Since about three o ’ clock yesterday, and the acquaintance lasted almost five minutes, ’ Gwenny said sourly.
    ‘ Is that all, or are you being funny? ’ Priscilla demanded.
    ‘ Now look, I ’ ve told everyone all I know, ’ Gwenny said heatedly, ‘ and that was honestly all that happened. In point of fact, I suppose he thought I was trespassing until I told him I was used to going over there to see old Mrs. Walker, so he cooled down and told me where she ’ d been taken. Then he said he was almost on the point of moving in and that he was going to live there. I suppose it was in the nature of a warning—he doesn ’ t want me visiting him, for sure. ’
    ‘ I should think not. And you ’ re not to make a nuisance of yourself, Gwenny, ’ Priscilla said.
    ‘ Do you hate him ?’ Gwenny asked her sister.
    ‘ I loathe him, ’ Priscilla muttered between her teeth.
    Gwenny watched her saunter away, and wondered. If Priscilla really felt so