kettle. He watched her. She knew it, but pretended not to notice. The
circumstance of the water flowing freely in the house which was supposed
to be deserted made an excuse for another remark, and a safe one.

"I thought they cut the water off from empty houses; that is, houses
supposed to be empty."

She turned round with so much alacrity as to suggest that she was glad
of the pretext for reopening communications. And this time there was a
bright look of arch amusement on her face instead of her former
expression of outraged dignity.

"So they do. But--the people who know how to live without paying rent
know a few other things, too."

Max laughed a little, but he was rather shocked. This pretty and in some
respects fastidiously correct young person ought not surely to find
amusement in defrauding even a water company.

The fact reminded him of that which the intoxication caused by a pretty
face had made him forget--that he was in a house of dubious character,
from which he would be wise in escaping without further delay. But then,
again, it was the very oddness of the contrast between the character of
the house and the behavior of the girl which made the piquancy of the
situation.

"Oh, yes; of course; I'd forgotten that," assented Max, limply.

And then he fell into silence, and the girl stood quietly by the tap,
which ran slowly, till the kettle was full.