By A. H. BARTON • p URBRIGHT and Cranmer sat in

a first-class compart- meat, conscious of the third-class season tickets in their wallets. The train began to move.

'The others are crowded tonight,' said Purbright.

'At my time of life I cannot afford the strain of a crowded compartment,' said Cranmer.

'Nor the cost of a first-class season ticket,' said Purbright.

'I'd pay,' said Cranmer. 'If the collector comes, I'll pay him.' , 'Yes.' said Purbright, 'but—' . The door from the corridor opened and an elderly passenger came in, his long nose poked forward and down between round and sloping shoulders. He looked obstinate and energetic, but very ill. •Purbright knew him. He kept a crowded shop, its counter -heaped with rubber bones, tins of cat food and miniature sacks of puppy-biscuit and bird-seed; its worn-down floorboards gritty underfoot. He did not sell pets, he would sometimes explain, but pet-accessories.

'Good evening, Mr. Westbourne,' said Purbright, and intro- duced Cranmer.

'Good evening, both,' said Mr. Westbourne. 'This is a first class, isn't it?'

'Yes.'

'I think I'll stay.' He was short of breath. 'I was going to go into the next compartment, a third, but I saw the doctor there.' He sat down and began slowly to unwind a fiuffygreen muffler.

'Doctor Holmes?'

'Yes. I can't go near him. I don't like to be cut up.'

'Nor does anyone,' said Cranmer.

'He wants me to go into hospital for an operation.' Mr. Westbourne gave Purbright a glance, mischievous and apolo- getic. 'I ought to go. They send me postcards saying there's a bed and will I go.' Pride crept into his voice. 'I never answer them,' he said. 'Not one. I hold out against it. Day before yesterday I passed out black in the shop. I didn't fall down, just dropped on to the little chair. But I couldn't get up for the next customer. He thought me out of my senses sitting there and pointing to the budgy-food, telling him to get it down for himself. But I got home to the wife all right. The chemist gave me a lift in his car.'

'If I may say so,' said Purbright, 'I think you wicked.'

'I must agree,' said Cranmer. 'If it's not rude, may I ask. what your wife thinks'?' "To the hospital," said the doctor, over his shoulder into the back of the car. "And about time too. They'll cut you up tomorrow and it will do you good. Five postcards you haven't answered. What do you think hospitals are for?"

'I was excited, I cadtell you. I went like a lamb. The wife sat there in the car, hugging herself, as though she were a girl in a taxi going to a birthday party.

"You'll have a comfortable bed," she said.

"And a pill to make you sleep," said the doctor.

'I sat there, nervous but pleased to be hustled. The trouble was I felt too well, and when I'm well, which is seldom, I feel it can't be necessary to go to hospital, ever. , "I feel very well," I said. "I don't think I need----" "Shut your face," said the doctor. "I'll tell you when you're well and when you're not well."' 'Get on with the story,' said Purbright. 'What happened? How did you get out of it?'

'I didn't get out of it. I was all worked up to it. It was lonely when my wife left me, but the bed was comfortable and the pill made me sleep. Next morning I sat up, neat and tidy. waiting for someone to do something about me. I was windy, but ready. The sister came round. "The surgeon is not avail- able today," she said. "We'll send you home now,.and you'll get a postcard."' A tear appeared, deep in the socket of Mr. Westbourne's right eye, the first adult tear that Purbright had ever seen in a railway carriage, first or third class. He shifted in his seat.

'The doctor thought he had fixed me up that time but he hadn't,' said Mr. Westbourne. 'I have had four postcards since then. Postcards. I tear them up. I don't like to have them lying about the shop.'

The door from the corridor opened again and Dr. Holmes came in. 'I thought I saw your long nose, Westbourne,' he said. 'I missed you at the shop. The train's getting in now and I'll give you a lift. My wife's meeting me with the car: 'What are you going to do, take me to the hospital?'