"Come in," said Mrs. Paynter, looking up.

The door leading into the hail opened, and the man himself stood upon
the threshold, looking at them absently.

"May I have some supper, Mrs. Paynter? I was closely engaged and failed
to notice the time."

Sharlee arose. "Certainly. I'll get you some at once," she answered
innocently enough. But to herself she was saying: "The Lord has
delivered him into my hand."




III

_Encounter between Charlotte Lee Weyland, a Landlady's Agent, and
Doctor Queed, a Young Man who wouldn't pay his Board._


Sharlee glanced at Mrs. Paynter, who caught herself and said: "Mr.
Queed, my niece--Miss Weyland."

But over the odious phrase, "my business woman," her lips boggled and
balked; not to save her life could she bring herself to damn her own
niece with such an introduction.

Noticing the omission and looking through the reasons for it as through
window-glass, Sharlee smothered a laugh, and bowed. Mr. Queed bowed, but