The Paying Guest

isement and made the suggestion.

that it's necessary?

such arrangement might be pleasant for you. You must feel lonel

child and for the mother, both vastly better in health since they quitted London. Moreover, the remoteness of their friends favoured economy; they could easily decline invitations, and need not often issue them. They had a valid excuse for avoiding public enter

more than 15 miles from Charing Cross. Can give excellent references. Terms not so much a consideration as c

it again

if people said that w

on arrangement nowadays, you know; they are called "paying guests." Of cours

doubtfully, 'that we should qui

ely we have nothin

e. But-and "pleasant so

h, I hope,' answered Mumford, g

ton. Nice people; a trifle sober, perhaps, and not in conspi

'As you say,' she added presently, 'this is someone

pping a note. The kind of note that commits one to

d had no difficulty whatever about punctuation. A careful letter, calculated for the eye of refinement;

when he came back from the post, 'that you wanted a companion. As I'm quite sure

umford pretended not to care much, but Em

ar,' she urged one eveni

et, and had every reason to hope it would always be so; but it would relieve his mind if the end of the year saw a rather larger

r other advertisemen

just that particular o

nt. 'It's really too absurd. How can I remember them all? But I liked yours as soon as I read it, and I am writing to you first of all. Will you let me come and see

bts. The handwriting seemed just passable; there was no orthographic error; but-refinement? This young person wrote, too, with such singular no

. Do you know, I think she may be the right kind of girl. I was thinking of someone

elong to a business family. I only wi

ething less than thirty; with a good, but pale, complexion, hair tending to auburn, sincere eyes. Her little vanities had no roots of ill-nature; she could admire without envy, and loved an orderly domestic life. Her husband's

ark girl, and of tolerably good features; rather dressy; with a carriage corresponding to the tone of her letter-an easy swing; head well up and shoulders squared. 'Oh, how I hope she isn't vulgar!' said Emmeline to

ick looked no less nervous than she was herself. The girl's ch

ould have met you at the station if you had mentioned t

and seemed of a sudd

of thing I say myself sometimes. And I'm so glad to see that you are-you

ume undeniably; money had been misspent in several directions; but no glaring vulgarity hurt the eye. And her speech, though not strictly speaking refi

tton at all?' E

of it. I like this house, too. I suppose y

Of course they often come out here. I don't know whether you are acquainted with an

eyes and seemed to reflec

y name-has a daughter of his own by a first marriage; and we can't bear each other-Miss Higgins, I mean. Some day, if I come to live here, I daresay I shall tell you more. Mr. Higgins is rich, and I can't say he's unkind to me; he'll give me as much as I want; but I'm sure he'll be very glad to get me out of the house. I have no money of my own-worse luck! Well, we thought it best for me to come alone, first, and see-just to see, you know-whether

pidly, 'or should you prefer a few really nice people? I'm afraid I don't qui

Derrick again reflected for a momen

know. At all events, I should like to try. The great t

talk, offered to take her visitor over the house, and

t you don't put on any-you know what I mean. People seem to me to be generally either low and ignorant, or so high and mi

garden whilst her mother said whatever she wished to say. The girl assented, and in excellent spirits betook herself to the railway station. Emmeline waited somet

rous and self-satisfied vulgarity. Of a complexion much lighter than the girl's, she still possessed a coarse comeliness, which pointed back to the dairymaid type of damsel. Her features revealed at the same time

r. Mother, this is Mrs. Mumford. And now, please

e very easy, either. Of course, you can give satisfactory references? I like to do things in a business-like way. I understand your 'usband is in the City; shouldn't wonder if he knows some of Mr. 'Iggins's friends. Y

fancy we could

ith Louise. I dessay she's told you a good deal about me and her ste

h very kind to her,' i

ng I can say, that no woman was ever 'appier with two 'usbands than I've been. I've two sons growing up, hearty boys as ever you saw. If it wasn't for this trouble with Louise-' She stopped to wipe her face. 'I dessay she's told you that Mr. 'Iggins, who was a widower when I met him, has a daughter of his first marriage-her poor mother died at the birth, and she's older than Louise. I don't mind telling

at least ten years older. This very undesirable parentage naturally affected Emmeline's opinion of Louise, whose faults began to show in a more pronounced light. One thing was clear: but for the fact th

iggins, to entrust your

ade up her mind to leave 'ome, and all I can do is to see she gets with respectab

gestion. She all but decided th

s be-inclusive?' Mrs. Hig

an air of decision, she announced her terms; they would be three guineas a week. It was half a guinea more than she and Clarence had decided to ask. She expected, she hoped, Mrs. Higgins would look grave. But nothing

ifficulty might be minimised by naming her own married sister, who lived at Blackheath, and Clarence's most intimate friend, Mr. Tarling, who held a g

s astonished the good woman. Why, her husband was Messrs. 'Iggins of Fenchurch Street! Oh, a mere formality, Emmeline hastened to add-

drawing-room, looked r

Mumford?' she asked. 'I've q

y or two must pa

, my dear,' beg

It's all right;

. I can't endure such behaviour, and I wonder what Mrs. R

th polite commonplaces. When at length they took their leave, she saw the last of them with

er husband. 'The girl herself I could endure, but oh, her odio

e you. I promise faithfully nobody from home shall ever come to see me, so don't be afraid. Of course if you won't have me, somebody else will; I've got two hundred to choose from, but I'd rather come to

'Why not, if the old people keep away?

chools, I think. And I dare say I could p

lly, it seems almost a du

d, and Mumford ran off g

thing like half-a-ton of luggage. She bounded up the doorstep

to go on with-for myself; I mean; of course he'll pay everything else. H

letter from Mrs. Higgins; better writte

should happen that any gentleman of your acquaintance takes a fancy to L., and if it should come to anything, I'm sure both Mr. H. and me would be most thankful, and Mr. H. would