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said the man.
    "Why don't you cut up Barrack Road. Look, we're coming to it. You cut up there; that'll take off the Market and bring you out in Champlion Place."
    "Yes," said the man; 'it'll cut a good third off. "
    "That's very helpful." Harry nodded at him.
    "Thanks, I'll try it."
    They parted at the corner of the next street, and the going here wasn't so bad as the people had attempted to clear the snow from the pathways.
    But when he came out into Champlion Place it was almost knee high again. As he crossed the Square his knees almost buckled under him.
    From the Square he cut up side street after side street; then of a sudden he realised he was walking down Baker Street. This was where Janet lived. In the ordinary way he would have approached his home from the other direction. So deep was the snow here that he had to support himself with one hand against the wall, and when he found his hand flat against a door he made out the number seventeen. Janet lived at twenty-three, three doors away. He would knock and go in and rest for a while. It would appear quite natural. He could say he had taken a short cut that had turned out to be the long way round. He was frozen right to the bone. When he had left the other house he felt that he would never be cold again, but now he was shivering, and he knew that it wasn't only with the cold but with the thought of entering his own home. He was aware that he was still slightly drunk and if he went in like this Esther would be sure to smell it from him; there were no secret Rippon breath formulae for him.
    Within a few seconds of his knocking on the door of number twenty-three it was opened, and Robbie stood there, silent for a moment, until recognizing the figure. Then he exclaimed loudly, "Good lord 1 Mr.
    Blenheim. Come in, come in." He put out his hand and almost dragged him over the threshold, exclaiming loudly, "Lor! you are in a state ..
    Mami Mami' he called over his shoulder then went on, " Let me get your coat off; it's sodden. You're all sodden. "
    Some whimsical part of Harry endorsed this. Yes, he was sodden both inside and out.
    "Why, Harry I' Janet Dunn was standing at the end of the passage. The name Harry sounded natural on her lips, yet she never used it in his house. She came forward holding out her hands, saying, " How did you come down this way? Is anything
    "Let him thaw out and then he'll tell you," said Robbie i bluntly.
    "Let's get him near the fire." He spoke as if Harry was ) unconscious, and he could have been for he felt powerless to ;
    open his mouth. They went into the living-room, one each side of him, and lowered him into a chair before the open fire.
    Harry now looked up at Janet. He wanted to explain to her but still found it impossible. But when she put her hand on his brow and said,
    "You are hot, but you're shivering. You've got a chill. Bring a drop of whisky, Robbie," he made an effort and protested in a croaking voice, "No, no 1 A cup of tea please. That's all, a cup of tea, or ...
    or if you have c ... coffee."
    "Yes, yes, certainly. You'll have it in a second." When she left the room Robbie, dropping on his hunkers before Harry, : asked quietly, "You been out in this long?"
    "An hour I think. No, longer. What time is it?"
    *A quarter to seven. "
    "No I' He sat up in the chair.
    "As late as that? I ... I should be home, they'll be worrying."
    "You haven't been home?"
    "No. No. There was a party at the office." He leant back in the chair again.
    "Some of the staff had a job getting back, I ... I helped them." And how, he thought. , Straightening himself up, Robbie said, "Well, another half- hour isn't going to make much difference; you're not fit to go <. out again yet."
    He stood looking down at him. An office party. That's why he stank of whisky. He had been under the impression that he didn't drink.
    Perhaps that was only when in the house. Madam Blenheim being a strict tee totaller
    "What you want," he said now, 'is something to eat; it'll