We had a pleasant luncheon, and as we drove away Lawrence
suggested that we should return by Tadminster, which was barely a
mile out of our way, and pay a visit to Cynthia in her
dispensary.  Mrs. Inglethorp replied that this was an excellent
idea, but as she had several letters to write she would drop us
there, and we could come back with Cynthia in the pony-trap.

We were detained under suspicion by the hospital porter, until
Cynthia appeared to vouch for us, looking very cool and sweet in
her long white overall.  She took us up to her sanctum, and
introduced us to her fellow dispenser, a rather awe-inspiring
individual, whom Cynthia cheerily addressed as "Nibs."

"What a lot of bottles!" I exclaimed, as my eye travelled round
the small room.  "Do you really know what's in them all?"

"Say something original," groaned Cynthia.  "Every single person
who comes up here says that.  We are really thinking of bestowing
a prize on the first individual who does _not_ say: 'What a lot of
bottles!' And I know the next thing you're going to say is: 'How
many people have you poisoned?' "

I pleaded guilty with a laugh.

"If you people only knew how fatally easy it is to poison some
one by mistake, you wouldn't joke about it.  Come on, let's have
tea.  We've got all sorts of secret stories in that cupboard.
No, Lawrence--that's the poison cupboard.  The big
cupboard--that's right."

We had a very cheery tea, and assisted Cynthia to wash up
afterwards.  We had just put away the last tea-spoon when a knock
came at the door.  The countenances of Cynthia and Nibs were
suddenly petrified into a stern and forbidding expression.

"Come in," said Cynthia, in a sharp professional tone.

A young and rather scared looking nurse appeared with a bottle
which she proffered to Nibs, who waved her towards Cynthia with
the somewhat enigmatical remark:

"_I_'m not really here to-day."

Cynthia took the bottle and examined it with the severity of a
judge.

"This should have been sent up this morning."

"Sister is very sorry.  She forgot."

"Sister should read the rules outside the door."

I gathered from the little nurse's expression that there was not
the least likelihood of her having the hardihood to retail this
message to the dreaded "Sister".

"So now it can't be done until to-morrow," finished Cynthia.

"Don't you think you could possibly let us have it to-night?"

"Well," said Cynthia graciously, "we are very busy, but if we
have time it shall be done."

The little nurse withdrew, and Cynthia promptly took a jar from
the shelf, refilled the bottle, and placed it on the table
outside the door.

I laughed.

"Discipline must be maintained?"

"Exactly.  Come out on our little balcony.  You can see all the
outside wards there."

I followed Cynthia and her friend and they pointed out the
different wards to me.  Lawrence remained behind, but after a few
moments Cynthia called to him over her shoulder to come and join
us.  Then she looked at her watch.

"Nothing more to do, Nibs?"

"No."

"All right.  Then we can lock up and go."

I had seen Lawrence in quite a different light that afternoon.
Compared to John, he was an astoundingly difficult person to get
to know.  He was the opposite of his brother in almost every
respect, being unusually shy and reserved.  Yet he had a certain
charm of manner, and I fancied that, if one really knew him well,
one could have a deep affection for him.  I had always fancied
that his manner to Cynthia was rather constrained, and that she
on her side was inclined to be shy of him.  But they were both
gay enough this afternoon, and chatted together like a couple of
children.

As we drove through the village, I remembered that I wanted some
stamps, so accordingly we pulled up at the post office.