Tottie followed her visitors. This was a transformed Tottie--all airs and graces, with just the touch of the dramatic that might be expected from a great "star." Indeed, she paused a moment, framed by the doorway, and waited before delivering her accustomed preamble. She smiled at the elder man, who returned a scowl. She bestowed a brighter smile on Wallace, who failed to see it, but licked at his lips, and smoothed his throat, like a man suddenly gone dry. Then she entered, slowly, gracefully, allowing the teagown to trail. "As I say," she began, turning her head from side to side with what was intended to be a pretty movement, "--as I say, it's a real joy to room your theatrical friends. Because they fetch y' such swell callers." Balcome, with no interest in this information, aimed toward Wallace a gesture that was meant to start the matter in hand. Wallace rallied his wits. "Is Miss--er--Crosby at home?" he asked. "Miss Crosby," repeated Tottie, with her very best honey-huskiness; "oh, she don't rent here no more." He reddened in an excess of relief. "She don't?" mocked Balcome, glaring at the teagown. "Nope," went on the landlady, mistaking his attention for a compliment, and simpering a little, with a quick fluttering of her lids; "took all her stuff.--Hm!" Now she let her eyes play side-wise, toward that double door behind Balcome. He took the hint. "I see." "And, oh, I'm goin' to miss her! Her first name bein' Clare, and my last name bein' St. Clair, I always feel, somehow, that she's a sorta relation." Balcome went nearer to the double door. "And you don't know where she's living now?" He raised his voice a little. Then with Wallace gaping in amazement, he put a hand into a pocket and brought out several bills. He gave these a flirtatious wave before Tottie's eyes. "You don't know?" "Say, y' don't expect me to tell y', do y'?" she inquired, also raising her voice. Those eyes sparkled with greed. "Of course I expect you to tell me," Balcome mocked again, sliding the bills into a coat pocket. "Well, she didn't leave her new address." Out came a beringed hand. "Didn't she?" Once more Balcome displayed the money. "No, she said she'd send it." Then pointing toward the double door, her fingers closed on the bribe. Wallace gulped, looking about him at the carpet, like a creature in misery that would lie down. Balcome was taking a turn about the room. "So she's gone," he said. "Too bad! Too bad! And no address." Presently, as he came close to the door again, he gave one half of it a sudden, wrenching pull. It opened, and disclosed Clare, crouched to listen, one knee on the floor. "No! Don't!" It was Tottie, pretending to interfere. "O-o-oh!" Clare scrambled to her feet. But contrary to what might have been expected, she almost hurled herself into the room, shut the door at her back, and stood against it. Tottie addressed herself angrily to Balcome. "Say, look-a here! This ain't the way out!"