herself, and rubbed herself, out of the room.

‘Dick!’ said my aunt. ‘You know what I told you about time-servers and wealth-worshippers?’

Mr. Dick — with rather a scared look, as if he had forgotten it — returned a hasty answer in the affirmative.

‘Mrs. Crupp is one of them,’ said my aunt. ‘Barkis, I’ll trouble you to look after the tea, and let me have another cup, for I don’t fancy that woman’s pouring-out!’

I knew my aunt sufficiently well to know that she had something of importance on her mind, and that there was far more matter in this arrival than a stranger might have supposed.