In less time than you would believe, I perceived a very stately, almost severe, lady descend the stairs.

She was dressed for the street, and spoke to me with quite an air of command.

'Have you a cab ?' she asked.
"'No,' said I.
"'Then get one.' "Here was a dilemma.

Should I leave her and thus give her an opportunity to escape, or should I trust to her integrity and the honesty of her look, which was no common one, sir, and obey her as every one about her was evidently accustomed to do?
"I concluded to trust to her integrity, and went for the cab.

But it was a risk, sir, which I promise not to repeat in the future.