indiscretion."

"We all appreciate that," Lady Anselman assured him sympathetically.
"Madame Selarne has promised to give us an outline of the new play
which she is producing in Manchester."

"If that would interest you all," Madame Selarne assented, "it
commences--so!"

For a time they nearly all listened in absorbed silence. Her
gestures, the tricks of her voice, the uplifting of her eyebrows and
shoulders--all helped to give life and colour to the little sketch
she expounded. Only those at the remote end of the table ventured
upon an independent conversation. Mrs. Cunningham, the woman whom her
hostess had referred to as being her particular friend, and one who
shared her passion for entertaining, chatted fitfully to her
neighbour, Major Thomson. It was not until luncheon was more than
half-way through that she realised the one-sidedness of their
conversation. She studied him for a moment curiously. There was
something very still and expressionless in his face, even though the
sunshine from the broad high windows which overlooked the Park, was
shining full upon him.

"Tell me about yourself!" she insisted suddenly. "I have been
talking rubbish quite long enough. You have been out, haven't you?"

He assented gravely.

"I went with the first division. At that time I was in charge of a
field hospital."