She had stolen to it and listened, but at first she had not heard a sound.

Then she had given a slight start, had knocked softly and asked, "May I come in ?" A woman's voice with a hostile note had replied, "Yes, ma'am." She had entered.

And a moment later, down on her knees before a grave little girl of two who sat at a tiny table soberly having her supper, Ethel had cried: "Oh, you adorable baby!" For a time she had tried to make friends with the child, but the voice of the nurse had soon cut in.

And in the motherly Scotch face Ethel had detected again a feeling of hostility.

"What for ?" she had asked.