walked in had not a big, raw-boned
woman barred his progress.

"What do you want?" demanded the raw-boned woman.

"Want to come in," explained Johnny.

"What do you want to come in for?"

This appeared to Johnny a foolish question. On reflection he saw the
sense of it. This raw-boned woman was not Mrs. Pegg, his landlady. Some
friend of hers, he supposed.

"It's all right," said Johnny, "I live here. Left my latchkey at home,
that's all."

"There's no females lodging here," declared the raw-boned lady. "And
what's more, there's going to be none."

All this was very vexing. Johnny, in his joy at reaching his own
doorstep, had not foreseen these complications. Now it would be
necessary to explain things. He only hoped the story would not get round
to the fellows at the club.

"Ask Mrs. Pegg to step up for a minute," requested Johnny.

"Not at 'ome," explained the raw-boned lady.

"Not--not at home?"

"Gone to Romford, if you wish to know, to see her mother."

"Gone to Romford?"

"I said Romford, didn't I?" retorted the raw-boned lady, tartly.

"What--what time do you expect her in?"

"Sunday evening, six o'clock," replied the raw-boned lady.

Johnny looked at the raw-boned lady, imagined himself telling the raw-
boned lady the simple, unvarnished truth, and the raw-boned lady's utter
disbelief of every word of it. An inspiration came to his aid.

"I am Mr. Bulstrode's sister," said Johnny meekly; "he's expecting me."

"Thought you said you lived here?" reminded him the raw-boned lady.

"I meant that he lived here," replied poor Johnny still more meekly. "He
has the second floor, you know."

"I know," replied the raw-boned lady. "Not in just at present."

"Not in?"

"Went out at three o'clock."

"I'll go up to his room and wait for him," said Johnny.

"No, you won't," said the raw-boned lady.

For an instant it occurred to Johnny to make a dash for it, but the raw-
boned lady looked both formidable and determined. There would be a big
disturbance--perhaps the police called in. Johnny had often wanted to
see his name in print: in connection with this affair he somehow felt he
didn't.

"Do let me in," Johnny pleaded; "I have nowhere else to go."

"You have a walk and cool yourself," suggested the raw-boned lady. "Don't
expect he will be long."

"But, you see--"

The raw-boned lady slammed the door.

Outside a restaurant in Wellington Street, from which proceeded savoury