Presently, after a turning of bolts, or it seemed more like someone was drawing a peg out of a staple, with a squeak, the door opened about a foot. In the dim light, the face of an old woman looked out from a very wrinkled face.
"What d' ya want?" she asked gruffly.
"I see you have a sign up here," and she pointed upward, "that says rooms," she replied, timidly.
"Yeh. Is yu 'lone. Wha's yu man?"
Mildred shuddered, and then she recovered. She was tired and wanted to sleep. Tomorrow she would try to do better. She replied as politely as she could; "I am alone. I have no man."
"Hunh!" grunted the other, opening the squeaking door wide as she said: "Come in!"
Mildred entered and stood looking about her, while the old witch regarded her suspiciously.
"So you're alone, uh? Got no man. Hunh! That's funny." She hobbled to where a lamp set, with chimney smoked, and upon which a crack had been patched with paper. "There's a chair. Sit down, gal." She shuffled about, and when the light was better, by turning it up a bit higher, she came near where Mildred sat, and took a seat in an old rocker which had a sack filled with straw, to make it more comfortable.
"How much do you charge for your rooms?" Mildred inquired.
"Two bits when you're alone. Thirty-five cents if yu got a man." Mildred had surmised that would be the charge, and had the amount ready. She didn't care to have this witch see that she had money. She handed her the quarter. The old creature took it, held it to the light, and examined it a moment before she dropped it into an old pocket.