But I presently considered that my wisest course would be to sound the landlady and learn if possible with what sort of characters I had to deal.

Routing her out of the kitchen, where at that early hour she was already engaged in domestic duties, I drew her into a retired corner and put my questions.

She was not backward in replying.

She had conceived an innocent liking for me in the short time I had been with her--a display of weakness for which I was myself, perhaps, as much to blame as she--and was only too ready to pour out her griefs into my sympathizing ear.

For those men were a grief to her, acceptable as was the money they were careful to provide her with.