Mrs. Oldbury, 3, Edith Terrace, S.W. Nr. Victoria Station.

"Very well," I said, getting up from my seat; "I understand I am to stop with Mrs. Oldbury and amuse myself spending the fifty pounds until I hear from you.

"Are you Mrs. Oldbury?" She gave a kind of spasmodic jerk, that may have been intended for a curtsey.

"I'm Mrs. Oldbury; and you'd be the gentleman I'm expectin'Dr.

As soon as he had gone, Mrs. Oldbury, who had meanwhile occupied herself in pulling down the blinds and drawing the curtains, inquired whether I should like anything to eat.

"If yer please, sir," she said, with a sniff, "Mrs. Oldbury wants ter know if yer'll be likin' a barf in the mornin'.

" "You can tell Mrs. Oldbury that the answer is yes," I said gravely.

There was something delicately pleasing to my sense of humour in appealing to a constable, and altogether it was in a most contented frame of mind that I inserted my latch-key into Mrs. Oldbury's door and let myself into the house.

" Within about five minutes the ground floor's wish was gratified, Mrs. Oldbury herself arriving with a large steaming can which she placed inside a hip bath.

"Mrs. Oldbury's gorn out shoppin'.

Then, after ringing the bell and informing Mrs. Oldbury that I should be out to dinner, I left the house with the pleasantly vague intention of wandering up West until I found some really attractive restaurant.

"Mrs. Oldbury sent me up to ask if you'd be wantin' dinner.

Course it do seem a bit funny like with this 'ere frock, but I got a green velveteen wot belonged to Mrs. Oldbury's niece.

"If they talks to Mrs. Oldbury I'll listen at the keyhole.

Then getting up from the table, I added: "You might tell Mrs. Oldbury I should like to see her.

Then, ringing the bell, I despatched Gertrude to fetch me a taxi, while I settled up my bill with Mrs. Oldbury.

" "I hope it is, Mrs. Oldbury," I replied.

Both she and Mrs. Oldbury stood on the step, and waved farewell to me as I drove down the street.

" To Dudley, in Worcestershire, through Oldbury, distant nine miles.

Leaving Smethwick, you proceed towards Oldbury, upon which road the trustees are making great improvements, by widening the road and turning the course of a brook, over which they are building a bridge, which when finished will be a great accommodation.

The distance is only nine miles, and in travelling that short space of ground you are in four different counties; Birmingham being in Warwickshire; Smethwick, in Staffordshire; Oldbury, in Shropshire; and Dudley in the county of Worcester.

OLDBURY (20), a busy manufacturing town in Worcestershire, 3 m. E. of Dudley, has chemical, iron, and steel works, and factories of various kinds.