The lady pronounced herself perfectly satisfied with all the
arrangements that had been made for her comfort.

"I am in London on business of importance," she said; "and shall,
therefore, receive very little company; but I may have to hold many
interviews with men of business, and I trust that my affairs may not be
made the subject of curiosity or gossip, either in this house or
outside it."

Mr. Mulck declared that he was the last person in the world to talk;
and that his two servants were both elderly women, the very pink of
steadiness and propriety.

Having said this, he took his leave; and as he did so, stole one more
glance at the beautiful stranger.

She had fallen into an attitude which betrayed complete abstraction of
mind. Her elbow rested on the table by her side; her eyes were shaded
by her hand.

Upon that white, slender hand, Jacob Mulck saw diamonds such as are not
often seen upon the fingers of the inhabitants of Percy Street. Mr.
Mulck occasionally dealt in diamonds; and he knew enough about them to
perceive at a glance that the rings worn by his lodger were worth a
small fortune.

"Humph!" muttered Mr. Mulck, as he returned to his comfortable sitting-
room; "those diamonds tell a tale. There's something mysterious about
this lodger of mine. However, my rent will be safe--that's one