But she did not return home. Instead, she walked past the block of flats, crossed Putney Bridge, and sought her old Nursing Home in Mortlake Road. As a drunkard might pant for a drink, so now in her extremity she wanted to hear gaiety and laughter and talk. Though she paid for it in prostration afterwards, she felt that without some such intermission she could never get through the night. And to-morrow was that dead day, Sunday. Further than that she did not see; beyond the anodyne of an ordinary human laugh she did not inquire. It seemed to her a matter of the last moment to herself that Miss Dot and Miss Cora should be at home; if they were not, she felt that she must walk straight into a public-house, as a man might, and get herself something to drink. But Miss Cora and Miss Dot were at home; they had just come in from a matinée. They made an onslaught on Louie. Had she seen the piece? Oh, the funniest thing! They really had had some luck at the theatre at last! The last time it had been a slum piece, all heartstrings and gutter-snipes; and the time before that--would Louie believe it!--just when they had expected to see frocks and dancing and suchlike, the curtain had gone up on a dentist's parlour! Two half-crowns for seats in the pit for that! It was almost like paying money to go and see another Nursing Home! "But give the poor girl some tea--what are we thinking of!" said Miss Cora. "No, thanks--I've given two people tea this afternoon already," said Louie. "Tell me about the play." And, both speaking at once, they told her about the play--_such_ a frock as Ellaline Terriss had worn!--an e-_nor_-mous pink hat, pink like a rabbit's ear, and a frock, chiffon over pink satin. Ah! That was better! "But where's my bonnie boy?" Miss Cora demanded. "Oh, let's show her the new one, the little Crowley baby!" The little Crowley baby was brought in.... "May I invite myself to supper?" Louie asked by-and-by. "Oh, do stop!" "Then give me some stout or something. I'm not sleeping very well." "Oh, we'll see that's all right----" And when, at ten o'clock, Louie left, it was with a sleeping preparation in her pocket. She took it in bed. It did its work. Half Sunday had passed when next she awoke.