Susan felt all their eyes turned on her, and knew that she was cornered. So she said "Yes," and raised her coffee-cup to her lips, but set it down quickly, as she felt her hand trembling.
"And did he rent it for a lady friend?" Tom asked, putting a significant stress on the last two words.
"He did," Susan answered.
"And is there living in your house, right here beside us, a mysterious woman with a baby?" Gertrude asked eagerly.
"There's a woman living in my house, and she has a little girl," said Susan on the defensive.
"And does Mr. Falconer visit her?"
"Perhaps so: I have no spies out."
"Why, Susie! how strange! You never told me a word about it. I never dreamed that Mr. Falconer was the man who had rented your house, and who has been running here so much," Gertrude said.
"Well, I'd get that woman out of my house as quick as ever I could if I was you, Susan," said Mrs. Summerhaze. "Like as not the house will get a bad name, so you'll have trouble renting it."