The Paying Guest

aid Louise to the servant. 'Let me kno

er time in arranging the shade of the lamp. When she returned from the doo

to show

e first glance she perceived that her lover's mood was by no means correspondin

ot my letter

t le

e lay waiting his arrival. Impatiently, she described the course of events. As

other this morning, and that's what she told me. It must have been only a day or two ago that you said th

t time Louise did in truth feel afraid of him. She shrank a

eated, in a voice that was all the

te that to y

ant it-it was just

l? But I don't believe it You've been thinking of him in that way all along; and you've been

ion; the irritability of her own t

liked, wasn't I? What do you mean by coming here and going on like this? I've told you the truth about

nce. He looked her straight in the eyes, and

hole truth. I want to know

en him since

ou write to

o Cissy. And I shall an

you haven't told lies, you've acted them. What sort of a wife would you make?

ctly useless, and no less ugly, impediments which stand about the floor of a well-furnished drawing-room.

she asked, in a

d all but reached the door

are g

. Again he turned abruptly and seiz

u've got into, is that it? I'm to find you a lodging, and take no end of trouble, and

d not look her best-far from it but the man saw something in her eyes which threw a fresh spell upon him. Still grasp

do you

've told yo

moment Cobb left her free; she moved backward again, her eyes drawing him o

like. But you und

ttered back, fell with all her weight against the table, and brought the lamp crashing to the floor. A shriek of terror from Louise, from her lover a shout of alarm, blended with the sound of breaking glass. In an instant a great flame shot up half way to the ceiling. The lamp-shade was ablaze; the much-embroidered screen, Mrs. Mumford's wedding prese

rushing in to see what the uproar meant,

s dress, and was carrying her, still despite her struggles, out of the room

orted Louise into the garden, and thence, after a minute or two of faintness on the sufferer's part, led her to the gate of the neighbouring house. The people who lived there chanced

once became cool and resourceful. Before a flame could reach the window he had rent down the flimsy curtains and flung them outside. Bellowing for the water which was so long in coming, he used the hearthrug to so

? Set it on to the tap,

e-girl, uttered a sudden shriek; it merely signified that she had now thought for the first time of the little child asleep upstairs. Aided by the housemaid, she

er dress had been burnt away. Her moaning never ceased; there was a fire-mark on the lower part of her face, and she stared with eyes of terror and anguish at whoever approached he

y?' Louise asked of a sudd

ied reassuringly. 'I'll make it a

surely walk from the station, approached their garden gate. The sight of a little crowd of people in the quiet road, the smell of burning, loud voices of excited servants, caused th

e doorway. 'You Mr. Mumford? It's all right.

d not pause until she saw the little one and held him in her embrace. Meanwhile, Cob

resay you've heard of me. I came to see Miss Derric

! How could you do t

bled over something-a little chair, I think-an

s Miss

badly burnt, I'm afraid.

voice behind them. 'Sorry

encountered Emmeline, sobbing and wailing hysterically

e only one that has been hurt. Go down, there's a good girl, and send someb

happen? Oh, ho

about it. Better put the b

property. It was a sorry sight. Where she had left a reception-room such as any suburban lady in moderate circumstances might be proud of; s

hen, in a voice of fierce conviction, 'She did it! She did it! I

nation. Miss Derrick, he pointed out, was lying prostrate from severe burns; the fire must have been accidental, but the accident, to be sure, was extraordinary enough. Thereupon Mrs.

if you like,' said Mu

upstairs. Mumford, also hearing it, and seeing Cobb's misery-st

up, dear? Dr. Billings

id not care to have it reported that selfish distress made her indifferent to the sufferings

e the caus

ly say that I'll do my best to ma

strange ideas of the value

her beside herself; she spoke, not in her own person, but as a woman

e angry with that poor girl, Mrs. Mumford. It wasn't her fault, not in any way. S

u knocked over the

wish I'd been burnt m

ill hardly aware. Emmeline, with a glance of uttermost scorn, left him, and ascended to the room where the doctor was busy. Free

Cobb, 'and perhaps you'll let me call the fir

comes down. But I wish I could understand

I came and behaved like a fool. I feel just now as if I could go and cut my throat, that's the fact. If

ke such a dar

the next road. They learned that Louise was not dangerously injured; her recovery would be merely a matter of

sity was piqued by everything he saw and heard of the strang

tastrophe. It was all her fault, and upon her let all the blame fall. She would humble herself to Mr. Higgins and get him to pay for the