"I'm not going to have half an hour's acrimonious conversation with Mrs.Lawrence on the subject of twopennyworth of coal.

At the same time I haven't the remotest intention of paying twopence extra for those two lumps of excess luggage, so to speak.

So you can just trot that sarcophagus away, like the darling you are, and bring me back my sixpenny scuttle again." And little Miss Bunting, in her capacity of buffer state between Mrs.
Lawrence and her boarders, had obeyed and said nothing more about the matter.
"I have to go out now," continued Mrs.Lawrence, after a pause pregnant with rebuke.

"You will receive Miss Quentin on her arrival and attend to her comfort.

And put the large coal-box in her sitting-room as I directed," she added firmly.
So it came about that when, half an hour later, a taxi-cab buzzed up to the door of No.