o a mean or ungentlemanly action; he
was considerate, unselfish, and generous--poor as he was; also he
opened doors, handed chairs, treated age with deference, and in short
conducted himself like the people among whom she had lived most of her
life.

Richard Hutton was of the same type, so were the two Japanese; but
Levison, her most valuable guest, Larcher, and other young boarders
had, in her opinion, no manners at all. They smoked where and how they
pleased (barring the drawing-room), left cigarette stumps all over the
house, kicked off their boots in the hall, were late for meals, loud in
talk, arguments and complaints, and supremely indifferent to the
comfort of their companions.

* * * * * *

In some extraordinary and inexplicable manner the story of the monster
had leaked out--at any rate, it was in the air. Perhaps the monster
himself had blazoned forth the fact of his own value, or Michael, the
handy man, had caught a whisper from Maggie (Mrs. Malone's right hand)?
However it was, Mrs. Malone was not a little startled when Mr. Levison,
in his loud resonant voice, shouted at her down the dinner table:

"So I hear you've come in for a wonderful find, ma'am--a Chinese figure
valued at a handsome sum! Do you know I'm something of a judge of such
stuff--old porcelain is rather in my line--and I'd like to have a look
at the prize after dinner, if you don't object, and if the bargain is
not clinched perhaps I might go one better."

Mrs. Malone coloured like a young girl--or was it the blush of guilt?
Would her sin find her out? No; no matter what the dealer said, she
determined to stick to her story; she would not allow him to see the
figure. She knew Manasseh Levison to be a persistent, over-bearing
sort of man; nevertheless, she was resolved to defeat him. If the
worst came to the worst, she would go to bed, and either take the
figure with her, or hide it up the chimney. But alas for her plans!
Manasseh, scenting a good thing, immediately after his cigar was
finished, boldly followed the old lady into forbidden ground--her
sitting-room--and did not even knock, but just turned the handle of the
door and walked in. He discovered his hostess and young Shafto,
evidently holding a weighty conference--with the figure on the table
between them.

"Mr. Levison," she exclaimed, "are you aware that this is my private
apartment, and that such an intrusion is unwelcome?"

Levison,