the White City with me on Thursday evening?"

"Oh, I should love it!" and there was a quick gleam in her eyes.

"Very well, I will arrange it." His hand closed over hers lingeringly.
"Good-bye. Don't be despondent. I will let you know where to meet
me. We might have dinner at a restaurant first; shall we?"

Again she expressed her delight, and Dudley went off with a glow of
pleasure that was a surprise to him.

But behind the closed door Doris smiled a little smile in the darkness,
that had none of the artless innocence of the smiles reserved for him.

"Ethel would just give her head to go with him," was her first thought;
and then, "I hope he won't go to a cheap restaurant."

In the sitting-room Ethel was putting the last touches to the invalid's
comfort for the night, moving about busily. Doris leaned against the
table, and made no attempt to help her.

"Dudley wants me to go to the White City with him on Thursday evening.
I said I would."

"Thursday is the night I have to go and see Dr. Renshaw"; and Ethel
glanced round with a shadow of vexation on her face.

"I know it is, but you will not be very late." She paused, then added,
"I do not get so many treats that I can afford to miss one."