Her arms, bare to the elbow, and her hands were as gaunt as her face, but Brereton was quick to recognize the suggestion of physical strength in the muscles and sinews under the parchment-like skin.

A strange, odd-looking woman altogether, he thought, and not improved by the fact that she appeared to have lost all her teeth, and that a long, sharp nose and prominent chin almost met before her sunken lips.
"Oh, it's you, is it, Mr.Bent ?" she said, before either of the young men could speak.

"Mr.Kitely's gone out for his regular bedtime constitution--he will have that, wet or fine, every night.

But he's much longer than usual, and----" She stopped suddenly, seeing some news in Bent's face, and her own contracted to a questioning look.
"Is there aught amiss ?" she asked.

"Has something happened him?
Aught that's serious?
You needn't be afraid to speak, Mr.Bent--there's naught can upset or frighten me, let me tell you--I'm past all that!" "I'm afraid Mr.Kitely's past everything, too, then," said Bent.