herself in.
Perfectly impenetrable to any repulse that could be offered to her, Mrs.
Sowler looked at the closed door with a sardonic smile, and waited.

The clock in the hall struck ten. Mrs. Farnaby returned again to the
sitting-room, walked straight to the window, and looked out.

"Any sign of him?" said Mrs. Sowler.

There were no signs of him. Mrs. Farnaby drew a chair to the window,
and sat down. Her hands turned icy cold. She still looked out into the
street.

"I'm going to guess what's happened," Mrs. Sowler resumed. "I'm a
sociable creature, you know, and I must talk about something. About the
money, now? Has the young man had his travelling expenses of you? To go
to foreign parts, and bring your girl back with him, eh? I expect that's
how it was. You see, I know him so well. And what happened, if you
please, yesterday evening? Did he tell you he'd brought her back, and
got her at his own place? And did he say he wouldn't let you see her
till you paid him his reward as well as his travelling expenses? And
did you forget my warning to you not to trust him? I'm a good one at
guessing when I try. I see you think so yourself. Any signs of him yet?"

Mrs. Farnaby looked round from the window. Her manner was completely
changed; she was nervously civil to the wretch who was torturing her. "I
beg your pardon, ma'am, if I have offended you," she said faintly. "I am
a little upset--I am so anxious about my poor child. Perhaps you are a
mother yourself? You oughtn't to frighten me; you ought to feel for
me." She paused, and put her hand to her head. "He told me yesterday
evening," she went on slowly and vacantly, "that my poor darling was
at his lodgings; he said she was so worn out with the long journey from
abroad, that she must have a night's rest before she could come to me.
I asked him to tell me where he lived, and let me go to her. He said she
was asleep and must not be disturbed. I promised to go in on tiptoe, and
only look at her; I offered him more money, double the money to tell
me where she was. He was very hard on me. He only said, wait till ten
tomorrow morning--and wished me goodnight. I ran out to follow him, and
fell on the stairs, and hurt myself. The people of the house were very
kind to me." She turned her head back towards the window, and looked
out into the street again. "I must be patient," she said; "he's only a
little late."

Mrs. Sowler rose, and tapped her smartly on the shoulder. "Lies!"