If Madame Royaume would see me ?" "It is useless," she answered with an impatient shrug.

"Quite useless, sir.

I tell you we have no room.

And--I wish you good-morning." On the word she turned from him with a curt gesture of dismissal, and kneeling beside the embers began to occupy herself with the cooking pots; stirring one and tasting another, and raising a third a little aslant at the level of her eyes that she might peer into it the better.

He lingered, watching her, expecting her to turn.