Whether he was married or not, Piers had not heard; the appearance of the place suggested bachelor quarters, but, as he knocked at what seemed the likely door, there sounded from within an infantine wail, which became alarmingly shrill when the door was thrown open by a dirty little girl.

At sight of Piers this young person, evidently a servant, drew back smiling, and said with a strong Irish accent: "Please to come in.

They're expecting of you." He passed into a large room, magnificently lighted by the sunshine, but very simply furnished.

A small round table, two or three chairs and a piano were lost on the great floor, which had no carpeting, only a small Indian rug being displayed as a thing of beauty, in the very middle.

There were no pictures, but here and there, to break the surface of the wall, strips of bright-coloured material were hung from the cornice.