The Thrush By L. A. G. STRONG THE traveller woke

to the thunder of wheels, and saw the light lipping greyly under the edges of the brown blind. The train was humming along at a great speed. He had slept uncommonly well—a little brokenly at first, while the train hammered its way down through the industrial North, and pulled up with a hiss and a jolt in large empty stations, where the garish lights and the harsh, echoing voices of the porters em- phasized the chill of the barbarous hour. Now, after three or four hours of deep sleep, lie stretched and gave a groan that was half stiffness and half content.

A loud knock upon the door made him jump. Before he could say "come in," the door cracked open close beside his head, portentous as a wall splitting in an earthquake, and the attendant's head and shoulders entered the gap. Seen upside down, from beneath, he had a fearsome aspect.

"Half-past six, Sir" : and the man, coming in and turning to face the bed, presented himself once more normally.

"Will we be on time ? "

"About twenty minutes behind, Sir. In at ten to eight.

"Good. That gives me time to think about it."

Lying for a few minutes more, the traveller rose and pulled up the blind. What a contrast from the wild Highland scenery upon which darkness had last night descended ! The flat, unadventurous fields of England were speeding past, the somnolent hedges, the trees heavy and brooding, and all—fields, trees and hedges—grey with dew. Here and there an advertise- ment stood in the fields, advising in subdued tones some unreal specific ; unreal because the hold of morning was still so strong upon the country that hoarding and legend seemed a part of the day's first innocence.

The traveller began to dress, noticing as they neared London how the villages became bigger ; how the streets, empty at first, began to have a man, two men, a girl, and presently a thin stream of people walking to the station, vanguard of the great diurnal rush of workers to the town. It was for the sake of these level fields, of these middle-aged and comfortable trees, that they lived so far afield, preferring to rise thus early and take a long, slow journey, rather than live nearer in and huddle round the hive.

London, 171 miles. London, 174- miles. London, 171 miles. By an effort of self-control he refused to look at the hoardings, and was presently rewarded by reading, London, 13 miles. At last the train slid into the echoing gloom of the terminus.

It was chilly on the platform. The porter led the way to the luggage van, whither soon congregated the long-distance passengers, several of whom the traveller recognized, having seen them at the other end or in the train. All looked rather underdone and owlish after the journey. The porter, fat, cheerful, and elderly, bade the traveller stand while he fetched a barrow. The traveller stood : then, noting an interested little group by the engine, consisting of the engine driver, .fireman and a couple of porters, he went to see what it was all about. As he got there the fireman climbed on the front of the huge, steaming, hissing engine, picked some- thing up, and clambered down again. It was a thrush: Evidently the engine had struck it at full speed, for it was crushed and bloody. The fireman held it gingerly by one wing, dangling it well away from his filthy over- alls, and the traveller felt a thrill of humorous wonder that a man smeared in so many kinds of mess should be particular about a speck or two of blood.

The engine driver contemplated the bird, his head on one side.

"Pore little chap," he observed. "Caught him a fair smack—eh ? "

The fireman looked at the victim with distaste.

"What shall I do with it ? 7 he inquired.

The driver nodded. "There," he said. "Close behind you—look."

All turned round, and beheld the station cat, a corpu- lent and well-to-do tabby, which had come out for a morning walk upon the platform.

"'Ere you are, pussy."

-The fireman tossed the mangled bundle of feathers at her feet. She drew back her head sharply, regarded the object, leaned forward cautiously and sniffed it : then withdrew, and walked slowly away with every symptom of offended dignity.

The engine driver guffawed delightedly.

" Coo ; grand, ain't she ? " lie exclaimed. "See 'ow she turned up 'er nose at it ? No thank yer. Nowhere near good enough for the likes of 'er."

"Spoilt," said. the fireman disgustedly. "That's what she is. Spoilt. Why, most cats 'ud be only too thankful."

" Ah," said one of the porters. "She gets her vittles too easy. She can afford to be partickler, she can. Refreshment room cat, see ? Everyone a feedin' of her all day long."

"What do they Want a cat in the refreshment room for, anyway ? " demanded the fireman.

"Keep down the mice what comes after all the crumbs," suggested the engine driver. "That's it, ain't it, mate?"

"That there cat 'ud be too fat to catch a mouse." The cat's rejection of his gift seemed to rankle with the fireman. "Besides, if she can get her food all day for nothing, she ain't going to bother to catch mice."

" Ah, but it's 'aving a eat there," said the engine driver earnestly. " It keeps the mice away, see ? My sister-in-law got one at home, every bit so fat as what that cat is. Never caught a mouse in its life. No call to. But it keeps 'ern away wonderful—the mice, I mean."

"I don't see it," said the fireman obstinately. "Mice have got sense, I suppose, same as any other animal.

I mean to say If "It's the smell o' the cat," the engine driver said. "The smell, an seem' her about the place. They know it's dangerous, see ? "

"Does your sister-in-law, or whoever it is—" • "My sister-in-law. Down at Bantam. That's right." "Does she ever see mice about ? "

"Not one," replied the engine driver triumphantly. "Not a single one. That's what I keep telling yer. It's all along of the cat frightening 'em."

"How does she know there's any mice there for the cat to frighten ? " persisted the fireman. " What I mean to say is The traveller felt a touch on his arm, and turned to find the porter at his side, with the luggage all stacked ready on the barrow. Reluctantly, he turned and followed him towards the exit.