And with another glance at the great dark eyes following him, he backed into the passage--this time upon Sam, who had carried in the portmanteau. "If you wouldn't mind, sir," said Sam--"our back room here's on'y a kitchen; but we lets our parlour, as you see. There," he said, leading the way, "that's my cheer, sir; and the wife 'll come and talk to you dreckly, I dessay. I must go back on to the rank." "One moment," said Richard. "There, sir, I don't want paying for a bit of a job like this," said Sam. "Oh, well, if you will pay, I shall put that down to the lodgers' nex' ride." "They are your lodgers, then?" "Yes, sir; and it all come out of that old Ratty when I knocked Mrs Lane over." "But the young lady?" "Thanky, sir, for calling her so; that's just what she is." "Is she an invalid?" "Feard so, sir," said Sam, in a hoarse whisper. "I don't like her looks at all. But I can't stop, sir; the missus 'll be here, and I hope she'll know of a place as suits." The next moment, Sam Jenkles was gone, and Richard sat looking round at the bright candlesticks and saucepan-lids, hardly able to realise the fact that but a day or two before he was the master of Penreife, for what had taken place seemed to be back years ago. His musings were interrupted by the entry of Mrs Jenkles, who stood curtseying and smoothing her apron. "Is she better?" said Richard, anxiously. "Yes, sir, she's quite well again now," said Mrs Jenkles. "She's weak, sir--rather delicate health; and Sam--that is my husband--said you wanted apartments, sir." "And that you would be able to find me some," said Richard, smiling. "I don't think we've anything good enough about here, sir, for a gentleman like you." "For a poor man like me, you mean. Now look here, Mrs--Mrs--" "Jenkles, sir." "Mrs Jenkles. I can afford to pay six or seven shillings a-week, that is all." "Then there's Mrs Fiddison, sir, nearly opposite. Very clean and respectable. Bedroom and sitting-room, where a young gentleman left only about a week ago. He played a long brass thing, sir, at one of the theatres, and used to practise it at home; and that's why he left." "That will do, I daresay," exclaimed Richard, who, in the first blush of his determination, was stern as an ascetic, and would have said Yes to the lodgings if Mrs Jenkles had proposed a couple of neatly furnished cellars. The result was that the cabman's wife went over with him to Mrs Fiddison's, and introduced him to that lady, who was dressed in sombre black, held a widow's cap in her hand, and was evidently determined to keep up the supply, for there were at least six arranged about the little parlour into which she led the way. Volume 3, Chapter IV. NOT MUSICAL.