shuit me"--and the
indignant daughter of the Emerald Isle, a fresh-complexioned, handsome
young woman, tossed her pretty head and marched out.

So Mrs. Trappeme went into the room "wid the sthuffed burd in it,"
and there rose to meet her a fair-haired girl of about eighteen, with
long-lashed, dark-grey eyes, and a somewhat worn and drawn expression
about her small mouth, as if she were both mentally and physically
tired. Her dress was of the simplest--a neatly fitting, dark-blue,
tailor-made gown.

"I saw your advertisement in the _Champion_ this morning," she said,
"and called to ascertain your terms." Mrs. Trappeme's big, protruding,
and offensive pale-blue eyes stared at and took in the girl's modest
attire and her quiet demeanour as a shark looks at an unsuspecting or
disabled fish which cannot escape its maws.

"Please sit down," she said with a mingled ponderous condescension
and affability. "I did not _advertise_. I merely _notified_ in the
_Champion_ that I would receive paying guests. But my terms are very
exclusive." "What are they?"

"Five guineas a week exclusive of extras, which, in this place, amount
to quite a guinea more. You could not afford that, I suppose?"

The dark-grey eyes flashed, and then looked steadily at those of the
fishy blue.

"Your terms are certainly very high, but I have no option. I find it
impossible to get accommodation in Townsville. I only arrived from
Sydney this morning in the _Corea_, and as I am very tired, I should
like to rest in an hour or so--as soon as you can conveniently let
me have my room," and taking out her purse she placed a L5 note, a
sovereign, and six shillings on the table.

"Will you allow me to pay you in advance?" she said, with a tinge of
sarcasm in her clear voice. "I will send my luggage up presently."

Mrs. Trappeme at once became most affable. She had noticed that the
purse the girl had produced was literally stuffed with new L5 notes.

"May I send for it?" she said beamingly, "and will you not stay and go
to your room now?"

"No, thank you," was the cold reply, "I have some business to attend to
first. Can you tell me where Mr. Mallard, the editor of the _Champion_,
lives? I know where the office is, but as it is a morning paper, I
should not be likely to find him there at this early hour."

Mrs. Trappeme was at once devoured with curiosity. "How very
extraordinary! Mr. Mallard was here only half an hour ago with a Mr.
Grainger and Miss G