She uttered a little mocking laugh when she saw who her visitor was and
let him in without any other comment.

Dudley strode in, with a frown of displeasure on his face, and waited
under the piles of timber while Mrs. Higgs relocked the door. There was
a lamp just outside the wooden boarding which shut the wharf in, and by
the light of it Dudley got a good look at the old woman's face before
she rejoined him; and it seemed to him that the placid expression she
usually wore had given place to a look more sinister, more repellent.
She passed him, still without a word, but with a nod which he took for
an invitation to him to follow her. They passed through the little
wash-house into the inner room, and Mrs. Higgs seated herself by the
fire, and gave her visitor another nod to imply that he might be seated
also.

But Dudley was not in a friendly mood. He would not even come near the
hearth, but remained close to the door by which he had entered, and gave
searching look round the room.

The apartment was so small and so bare that it was not difficult to take
stock of its contents, and Mrs. Higgs laughed ironically.

"Isn't the place furnished to your liking?" she asked in a mocking tone.
"Are you looking for the sofas and the sideboards and the silver and the
plate?"

Dudley cast at the old woman a look which was more eloquent than he knew
of hatred and disgust.

"No," said he, shortly. "I was looking to see whether any of your