"If you don't ask any more silly questions."

"It's hard to forget my father was a sea captain," explained Mrs
Farthing.

A door in the passage opened on to winding stairs, up which
vanquished and victor walked.

From the first floor, a sort of gangway led to the door of a room
that was raised some three feet from the level of where the two
women stood.

"Now we ascend the Kyber Pass," cried Mrs Farthing gaily, as she set
foot on the gangway.

As Mavis followed, it occurred to her how this remark might be
invariably retailed to prospective lodgers by Mrs Farthing.

The bedroom's neat appointments made it even more attractive in
Mavis' eyes than the sitting-room.

Mrs. Farthing wanted eight shillings a week for a permanency, but
Mavis stuck out for seven. The issue was presently compromised by
the landlady's agreeing to accept seven and sixpence.

"There's only one thing," said Mrs Farthing, as she sat on the bed;
"and that's my husband."

"What about him?" asked Mavis, who had believed that everything was