. Lionel started, as if made
aware of her presence for the first time. He took his pipe from his
mouth and turned with a pleasant smile.

"Good evening, Mrs. Barker," he said with careful politeness. "A fine
night, is it not?"

She assented with an ill grace. Without giving her time to add to her
appreciation, Lionel continued in suave but enthusiastic tones:

"Oblige me, Mrs. Barker, by observing the manner in which the sun
strikes the opposite wall. Notice the sharp outline of that chimney-pot
against the sky. Remark the bold sweep of that piece of spouting--a true
secession curve of which the molder was probably completely ignorant.
Again, the background! That dull gray monotone----"

This rhapsody was interrupted by Mrs. Barker, whose artistic education
had consisted in a course of free-hand drawing in a board school and a
study of the colored plates issued by the Christmas magazines. It was
hardly to be expected that she should wax enthusiastic over the
warehouse wall.

"It's no good torkin, Mr. Mortimer," she said; "I want my rent."

"But how reasonable!" returned Lionel with increased brightness. "How
much does it come to? Certain tokens of copper--silver--gold--with some
trifling additions for food, fire, etc.----"

"One pahnd three sempence for this week," snapped Mrs. Barker. After a
pause she added constrainedly, "If yer please."

"Why! you are even more reasonable than I expected," cried Lionel. "If I
please! How could a man refuse anything after so polite a prelude? If I
please! My rent, if I please, is one pound, three and sevenpence; and I
must admit that the sum is paltry. If I please to exist (and up to the
present I have been delighted to fall in with the schemes of Providence)
I can do so for some twenty-four shillings a week. It includes," he
added hopefully, "the washing?"

She nodded grimly and stretched out her hand. Lionel, with an easy
smile, waved her to the door.

"To-morrow, Mrs. Barker, if you please. At the moment I regret to say
that my funds do not amount to the necessary sum. To-morrow I make no
doubt that----"

Mrs. Barker interrupted with brisk invective. It appeared that Lionel
was several weeks already in arrears. She, it seemed, was a lone widow,
earning her bread by the sweat of her brow, and she would not be put
upon. The position had become intolerable: either he must pay his rent
or leave the next morning.

"Let us consider the state of affairs," said Lionel, unru