404 ANGEL PAVEMENT

time to get three-quarters of a seat and no leg space in
the 546, The lights of Westbourne Park and Kensal
Green, such as they were, blinked at her and then were
gone. Thank God she was done with this nightmare of a
London for a few days! Perhaps Christmas at home this
time would be amusing. At any rate, it would be reason-
able and quiet, and her father and mother would be glad
to see her, and she would be glad to see them. As the
train gathered speed, shrugging off the outer western
suburbs, she thought of her parents with affection, and
for a little time felt nearer the child she had once been^
the child who had thought her father and mother so
wonderful and had found Christmas the most radiant
and magical season than she had done for many a month.
She closed her eyes; her mouth gradually lost its dis-
contented curve; her whole face softened. Angel Pave-
ment would hardly have recognised her.

"HELLO, Matfield! What sort of a Christmas did you
have?"

"6h? the usual thing, you know—rather feeble."

"Do anything special?"

"No, just stodged and sat about and yawned. Stayed
in bed every morning for breakfast and never got up till
nearly lunch time. That was about the best thing that
happened. What about you?"

"Oh, awful!" replied the other girl, Miss Preston, who
worked at the Levantine Bank, but based her claim to
attention at the Club on the fact that her brother, under