“Nevertheless one day all the tenants of the Rubens Studios were surprised and shocked to see Mrs. Owen, quiet, respectable Mrs. Owen, sallying forth at six o’clock in the afternoon, attired in an extravagant bonnet and a cloak trimmed with imitation astrakhan which—­slightly open in front—­displayed a gold locket and chain of astonishing proportions.

“Many were the comments, the hints, the bits of sarcasm levelled at the worthy woman by the frivolous confraternity of the brush.

“The plot thickened when from that day forth a complete change came over the worthy caretaker of the Rubens Studios.  While she appeared day after day before the astonished gaze of the tenants and the scandalized looks of the neighbours, attired in new and extravagant dresses, her work was hopelessly neglected, and she was always ‘out’ when wanted.

“There was, of course, much talk and comment in various parts of the Rubens Studios on the subject of Mrs. Owen’s ‘dissipations.’  The tenants began to put two and two together, and after a very little while the general consensus of opinion became firmly established that the honest caretaker’s demoralisation coincided week for week, almost day for day, with young Greenhill’s establishment in No. 8 Studio.

“Every one had remarked that he stayed much later in the evening than any one else, and yet no one presumed that he stayed for purposes of work.  Suspicions soon rose to certainty when Mrs. Owen and Arthur Greenhill were seen by one of the glass workmen dining together at Gambia’s Restaurant in Tottenham Court Road.

“The workman, who was having a cup of tea at the counter, noticed particularly that when the bill was paid the money came out of Mrs. Owen’s purse.  The dinner had been sumptuous—­veal cutlets, a cut from the joint, dessert, coffee and liqueurs.  Finally the pair left the restaurant apparently very gay, young Greenhill smoking a choice cigar.

“Irregularities such as these were bound sooner or later to come to the ears and eyes of Mr. Allman, the landlord of the Rubens Studios; and a month after the New Year, without further warning, he gave her a week’s notice to quit his house.

“‘Mrs. Owen did not seem the least bit upset when I gave her notice,’ Mr. Allman declared in his evidence at the inquest; ’on the contrary, she told me that she had ample means, and had only worked latterly for the sake of something to do.  She added that she had plenty of friends who would look after her, for she had a nice little pile to leave to any one who would know how “to get the right side of her."’

“Nevertheless, in spite of this cheerful interview, Miss Bedford, the tenant of No. 6 Studio, had stated that when she took her key to the caretaker’s room at 6.30 that afternoon she found Mrs. Owen in tears.  The caretaker refused to be comforted, nor would she speak of her trouble to Miss Bedford.

“Twenty-four hours later she was found dead.