Frances nodded. "I thanked for you," she added quietly, "explaining that
you were not free at the moment, but that later, if not inconvenient,
you might come down for a bit and join me."

I stared. Frances sometimes had this independent way of deciding things.
I was convicted, and punished into the bargain.

Of course there followed argument and explanation, as between brother
and sister who were affectionate, but the recording of our talk could be
of little interest. It was arranged thus, Frances and I both satisfied.
Two days later she departed for The Towers, leaving me alone in the flat
with everything planned for my comfort and good behavior--she was rather
a tyrant in her quiet way--and her last words as I saw her off from
Charing Cross rang in my head for a long time after she was gone:

"I'll write and let you know, Bill. Eat properly, mind, and let me know
if anything goes wrong."

She waved her small gloved hand, nodded her head till the feather
brushed the window, and was gone.




Chapter II


After the note announcing her safe arrival a week of silence passed, and
then a letter came; there were various suggestions for my welfare, and