“Is Bill coming?” asked the man, as he furtively lifted his hat.

Mavis looked surprised.

“To chuck out this ‘ere lodger for Mrs. Scatchard wo’ won’t pay up,” he explained.

“I know nothing about it,” said Mavis.

“Ain’t you Mrs Dancer, Bill’s new second wife?”

Mavis explained that she had come to see Miss Meakin, at which the man walked into the passage and knocked at the first door on the left, as he called out: 

“Lady to see you!”

“Who?” asked Miss Meakin, as she displayed a fraction of a scantily attired person through the barely opened door.

“Have you forgotten me?” asked Mavis, as she entered the passage.

“Dear Miss Keeves!  So good of you to call!” cried Miss Meakin, not a little affectedly, so Mavis thought, as she raised her hand high above her head to shake hands with her friend in a manner that was once considered fashionable in exclusive Bayswater circles.

She then opened the door wide enough for Mavis to edge her way in.  Mavis found herself in an apartment that was normally a pretentiously furnished drawing-room.  Just now, a lately vacated bed was made up on the sofa; a recently used washing basin stood on a chair; whilst Miss Meakin’s unassumed garments strewed the floor.

“And what’s happened to you all this long time?” asked Miss Meakin, as she sat on the edge of a chair in the manner of one receiving a formal call.

“To begin with, I’m married,” said Mavis hurriedly, at which piece of information her friend’s face fell.

“Any family?” she asked anxiously.

“N-no—­not yet.”

“I could have married Mr Napper a month ago—­in fact he begged me on his knees to,” bridled Miss Meakin.

“Why didn’t you?”

“We’re going to his aunt’s at Littlehampton for the honeymoon, but I’m certainly not going till it’s the season there.”

Mavis smiled.

“Would you?” asked Miss Meakin.

“Not if that sort of thing appealed to me.”

When Miss Meakin had explained that she had got up late because she had been to a ball the night before, Mavis told her the reason of her visit, at which Miss Meakin declared that Mr Napper was the very man to help her.  Mavis asked for his address.  While her friend was writing it down, a violent commotion was heard descending the stairs and advancing along the passage.  Mavis rightly guessed this was caused by the forcible ejection of the lodger who had failed with his rent.

To Mavis’ surprise, Miss Meakin did not make any reference to this disturbance, but went on talking as if she were living in a refined atmosphere which was wholly removed from possibility of violation.

“There’s one thing I should tell you,” said Miss Meakin, as Mavis rose to take her leave.  “Mr Napper’s employer, Mr Keating, besides being a solicitor, sells pianos.  Mr N. is expecting a lady friend, who is thinking of buying one ‘on the monthly,’ so mind you explain what you want.”