hink he can and will pay. Besides, I think
he needs a talking to on general principles."

"Well--but how are you going to do it, my dear?"

"Play a Fabian game. Wait!--be stealthy and wait! If he doesn't come out
of hiding to-night, I'll return for him to-morrow. I'll keep on coming,
night after night, night after night, n--Some one's knocking--".

"Come in," said Mrs. Paynter, looking up.

The door leading into the hail opened, and the man himself stood upon
the threshold, looking at them absently.

"May I have some supper, Mrs. Paynter? I was closely engaged and failed
to notice the time."

Sharlee arose. "Certainly. I'll get you some at once," she answered
innocently enough. But to herself she was saying: "The Lord has
delivered him into my hand."

III

_Encounter between Charlotte Lee Weyland, a Landlady's Agent, and
Doctor Queed, a Young Man who wouldn't pay his Board._

Sharlee glanced at Mrs. Paynter, who caught herself and said: "Mr.
Queed, my niece--Miss Weyland."

But over the odious phrase, "my business woman," her lips boggled and
balked; not to save her life could she bring herself to damn her own
niece with such an introduction.

Noticing the omission and looking through the reasons for it as through
window-glass, Sharlee smothered a laugh, and bowed. Mr. Queed bowed, but
did not laugh or even smile. He drew up a chair at his usual place and
sat down. As by an involuntary reflex, his left hand dropped toward his
coat-pocket, whence the top edges of a book could be described
protruding. Mrs. Paynter moved vaguely toward the door. As for her
business woman, she made at once for the kitchen, where Emma and her
faithful co-worker and mother, Laura, rose from their supper to assist
her. With her own hands the girl cut a piece of the Porterhouse for Mr.
Queed. Creamed potatoes, two large spoonfuls, were added; two rolls;
some batterbread; coffee, which had to be diluted with a little hot
water to make out the full cup; butter; damson preserves in a saucer:
all of which duly set forth and arranged on a shiny black "waiter."

"Enough for a whole platform of doctors," said Sharlee, critically
reviewing the spread. "Thank you, Emma."

She took the tray in both hands and pushed open the swing-doors with her
side, thus making her ingress to the dining-room in a sort of
crab-fashion. Mrs. Paynter was gone. Mr. Queed sat alone in the
dining-room. His book lay open on the table and he wa