"Who is with her now?"
"No one," replied the landlady promptly. "She's had her bill up these three months. Her last lodger left about Christmas."
"What is his name—or her name?"
"Oh, it was a 'he,'" said Miss Greeb, smiling.
"Mrs. Bensusan prefers gentlemen, who are out of doors all day, to ladies muddling and meddling all day about the house. I must say I do, too, Mr. Denzil," ended the lady, with a fascinating glance.
"What is his name, Miss Greeb?" repeated Lucian, quite impervious to the hint.
"Let me see," said Miss Greeb, discomfited at the result of her failure. "A queer name that had to do with payments. Bill as the short for William. No, it wasn't that, although it does suggest an account. Quarterday? No. But it had something to do with quarter-days. Rent!" finished Miss Greeb triumphantly. "Rent, with a 'W' before it."
"W-r-e-n-t!" spelled Lucian.
"Yes. Wrent! Mr. Wrent. A strange name, Mr. Denzil—a kind of charade, as I may say. He was with Mrs. Bensusan six months; came to her house about the time Mr. Berwin hired No. 13."
"Very strange!" assented Lucian, to stop further comment. "What kind of a man was this Mr. Wrent?"