The General then applied himself to the area bell. "They'll come directly, now," he argued; "they'll think it's the beer!" And sure enough the street-door was quickly unfastened, with more turning of keys, clanking of chains, and withdrawal of bolts than is usual during the middle of the season, in the middle of the day. A very grimy old woman met him on the threshold, and peering suspiciously out of her keen, deep-set eyes, demanded his business in a hoarse voice, suggestive of gin. "Miss Douglas b'aint here," was the startling answer to his inquiries. "She be gone away for good. Hoff this morning, I shouldn't wonder, afore you was out of bed." "Gone!" he gasped. "This morning! Did she leave no message?" "None that I knows of. The servants didn't say nothink about it; leastways, not to _me_." "But she's coming back?" "Not likely! The maid _did_ suppose as they was a-going for good and all. It's no business of mine. I'm not Miss Douglas's servant. I'm a-taking care of the 'ouse for the landlord, I am. It's time I was a-tidying of it up now." With this broad hint, she proceeded to shut the door in his face, when the General, recovering his presence of mind, made use of the only argument his experience had taught him was universal and conclusive. Her frown relaxed with the touch of money on her palm. "You're a gentleman, you are," she observed approvingly. "Won't ye step in, sir? It's bad talking with the door in your 'and." He complied, and sat down on one of the bare hall-chairs, feeling as he had felt once before, when badly hit, in the Punjaub. She went on with her dusting, talking all the time. "You see they sent round for me first thing in the morning; and I says to Mrs. Jones--that's my landlady, sir,"--(dropping a curtsey), "'Mrs. Jones,' says I, 'whatever can they be up to,' says I, 'making such an early flitting?' says I--" "But do you mean they've left no letter?" he interrupted, starting from his seat; "no directions--no address? Are all the servants gone? Has Miss Douglas taken much luggage with her? Did she go away in a cab? Oh, woman! woman! tell me all you know! It's a matter of life and death!" She looked at him askance, privately opining that, early as it was, the gentleman had been drinking, and sympathising with him none the less for that impression. "They're off," said she stubbornly; "and they've took everythink along with them--bags and boxes, and what not. There was a man round after the keys--not half an hour gone. I should say as they wasn't coming back, none of 'em, no more."