"Oh dear, no! She comes in her carriage." "Is she young or old?" "Old, sir." To Mr. Lismore--conscious of the disastrous influence occasionally exercised over busy men by youth and beauty--this was a recommendation in itself. He said: "Show her in." Observing the lady, as she approached him, with the momentary curiosity of a stranger, he noticed that she still preserved the remains of beauty. She had also escaped the misfortune, common to persons at her time of life, of becoming too fat. Even to a man's eye, her dressmaker appeared to have made the most of that favorable circumstance. Her figure had its defects concealed, and its remaining merits set off to advantage. At the same time she evidently held herself above the common deceptions by which some women seek to conceal their age. She wore her own gray hair; and her complexion bore the test of daylight. On entering the room, she made her apologies with some embarrassment. Being the embarrassment of a stranger (and not of a youthful stranger), it failed to impress Mr. Lismore favorably. "I am afraid I have chosen an inconvenient time for my visit," she began. "I am at your service," he answered a little stiffly; "especially if you will be so kind as to mention your business with me in few words." She was a woman of some spirit, and that reply roused her. "I will mention it in one word," she said smartly. "My business is--gratitude." He was completely at a loss to understand what she meant, and he said so plainly. Instead of explaining herself, she put a question. "Do you remember the night of the eleventh of March, between five and six years since?" He considered for a moment. "No," he said, "I don't remember it. Excuse me, Mrs. Callender, I have affairs of my own to attend to which cause me some anxiety--" "Let me assist your memory, Mr. Lismore; and I will leave you to your affairs. On the date that I have referred to, you were on your way to the railway-station at Bexmore, to catch the night express from the North to London." As a hint that his time was valuable the ship-owner had hitherto remained standing. He now took his customary seat, and began to listen with some interest. Mrs. Callender had produced her effect on him already. "It was absolutely necessary," she proceeded, "that you should be on board your ship in the London Docks at nine o'clock the next morning. If you had lost the express, the vessel would have sailed without you." The expression of his face began to change to surprise. "Who told you that?" he asked. "You shall hear directly. On your way into the town, your carriage was stopped by an obstruction on the highroad. The people of Bexmore were looking at a house on fire." He started to his feet. "Good heavens! are you the lady?" She held up her hand in satirical protest. "Gently, sir! You suspected me just now of wasting your valuable time. Don't rashly conclude that I am the lady, until you find that I am acquainted with the circumstances."