."

"No, no, no, Mrs. Bray! You mustn't desert me!" answered Mrs. Dinneford,
her face growing pallid with fear. "Money is of no account. I'll pay
'most anything, reasonable or unreasonable, to have her kept away."

And she drew out her pocket-book while speaking. At this moment there
came two distinct raps on the door. It had been locked after Mrs.
Dinneford's entrance. Mrs. Bray started and changed countenance, turning
her face quickly from observation. But she was self-possessed in an
instant. Rising, she said in a whisper,

"Go silently into the next room, and remain perfectly still. I believe
that's the woman now. I'll manage her as best I can."

Almost as quick as thought, Mrs. Dinneford vanished through a door that
led into an adjoining room, and closing it noiselessly, turned a key
that stood in the lock, then sat down, trembling with nervous alarm. The
room in which she found herself was small, and overlooked the street;
it was scantily furnished as a bed-room. In one corner, partly hid by
a curtain that hung from a hoop fastened to the wall, was an old wooden
chest, such as are used by sailors. Under the bed, and pushed as far
back as possible, was another of the same kind. The air of the room was
close, and she noticed the stale smell of a cigar.

A murmur of voices from the room she had left so hastily soon reached
her ears; but though she listened intently, standing close to the door,
she was not able to distinguish a word. Once or twice she was sure that
she heard the sound of a man's voice. It was nearly a quarter of an
hour by her watch--it seemed two hours--before Mrs. Bray's visitor or
visitors retired; then there came a light rap on the door. She opened
it, and stood face to face again with the dark-eyed little woman.

"You kept me here a long time," said Mrs. Dinneford, with ill-concealed
impatience.

"No longer than I could help," replied Mrs. Bray. "Affairs of this kind
are not settled in a minute."

"Then it was that miserable woman?"

"Yes."

"Well, what did you make out of her?"

"Not much; she's too greedy. The taste of blood has sharpened her
appetite."

"What does she want?"

"She wants two hundred dollars paid into her hand to-day, and says that
if the money isn't here by sundown, you'll have a visit from her in less
than an hour afterward."

"Will that be the end of it?"

A sinister smile curved Mrs. Bray's lips slightly.

"More than I can say," she answered.

"Two hun