dering if you know of any nice quiet hotel or lodging
near Piccadilly -- I should prefer a lodging -- where I
could spent two nights?"

"Near Piccadilly? Yes, of course I do -- in Half-Moon
Street. I'll engage two rooms for you. And
as for tomorrow, I can spare you quite well. In fact
I shall probably manage better alone. Can't you go
up by that nice early morning train, my dear?"

Mrs. Otway shook her head. "No, I can't possibly
get away before the afternoon. You see I must look
after Mrs. Purlock. She got into rather bad trouble
this morning. And oh, Miss Forsyth, I'm so _sorry_
for her! She believes her two boys are being starved
to death in Germany. Unfortunately she knows that
woman whose husband signed his letter 'Your loving
Jack Starving.' It's thoroughly upset Mrs. Purlock,
and if, as they all say, drink drowns thought and
makes one feel happy, can we wonder at all the drinking
that goes on just now? But I'm going to try
tomorrow morning to arrange for her to go away to
a sister -- a very sensible, nice woman she seems, who
certainly won't let her do anything of the sort."

"Surely you're rather inconsistent?" said Miss Forsyth
briskly. "You spoke only a minute ago as if you
almost approved of drunkenness," but there was an
intelligent twinkle in her eye.

Mrs. Otway smiled, but it was a very sad smile.
"You know quite well, dear Miss Forsyth, that I
didn't mean _that!_ Of course I don't approve, I only
meant that -- that I understand." She waited a moment,
and then added, quietly, and with a little sigh,
"So you see I can't go up to town tomorrow morn-

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v?