Jim turned round and bade the cabman bring his portmanteau into the house, and as the cabman, with much heavy breathing, deposited the portmanteau in the hall, a large, middle-aged lady emerged from one of the sitting-rooms and treated the new boarder to a gracious smile. "Dr Mortimer, I presume?" Jim bowed. "Sir Savile Smart was so kind as to wire--as well as you--and tell us that you were coming to take poor Dr Morgan’s place. Very sad, was it not? Such a nice, quiet old gentleman! But it’s only old gentlemen and women that these cowardly Hooligans venture to touch--indeed, we hardly dare go out after dark! It gave us a great shock when we heard of what had happened to Dr Morgan. The poor dear gentleman was really past work, and must have fallen an easy prey to the ruffians. My husband is not so young as he was, and I often feel nervous lest something should happen to him! He makes me very cross by refusing to carry a life-preserver. Every evening I expect to see his mangled corpse brought to the door. If we could afford to, we should move out of this dreadful neighbourhood, but there! people must live where they can live! When my husband met with his reverses, you see, Dr Mortimer, our thoughts naturally turned to Derby Crescent, where we could live rent free, as my dear mother left me her property in this--but your cabman is waiting, Dr Mortimer, and no doubt you wish to dismiss him!" During her flight of eloquence the cabman had been regarding Mrs Maybury with a most grim and forbidding expression on his face. Jim, remembering that he had left his overcoat in the cab, walked back to the vehicle with him. "What’s the damage, cabby?" inquired the Long ’Un, when he had secured his coat. "Leave it to you, sir." Jim gave him sixpence over his fare. Over-paying cabmen had always been a weakness of his. "Much obliged, sir!" The cabman touched his hat and pocketed the silver. "Wish you luck of your new quarters, sir." "Thanks, cabby," said Jim. "The way to treat ’_er_," continued the cabman, indicating the house--and presumably its mistress--with his thumb, "is to cut in when she’s ’arfway through what she’s got to say. Them kind o’ wimmen don’t mind bein’ interrupted. Leastways, they mind a bit, but they ain’t annoyed. They go on afterwards same as if you ’adn’t interrupted of ’em. You sees what I mean?" "I see what you mean," said Jim. "My old woman goes on just like ’er"--with another thumb indication--"and so I know. I let ’er reel it off till I’m tired, and then I change the subjick, casual-like. It’s quiet easy to make ’em change the subjick. There’s wimmen ’oo, directly an idea enters their brains, utters it wiv their mouves. See? It goes inter one and outer the other as natural as rockin’ a baby. But you can always interrupt ’em wivout doin’ any ’arm, so you bear my tip in mind. Good-night to you, sir!" he added, mounting his box.