MrToogoodlaughedtoo。Helaughedloudandcheerily。Andthenheaskedasuddenquestion，keepinghiseyeashedidsouponalittlesquareopenwindowwhichcommunicatedbetweenthelandlord’sprivateroomandthebar。Throughthissmallaperturehecouldseeashestoodaportionofthehatwornbythemanwiththerednose。Sincehehadbeenintheroomwiththelandlord，themanwiththerednosehadmovedhisheadtwice，oneachoccasiondrawinghimselfcloserintohiscorner；butMrToogood，bymovingalso，hadstillcontrivedtokeepamorselofthathatinsight。Helaughedcheerilyatthelandlord’sjoke，andthenheaskedasuddenquestion——lookingatthemorselofthathatashedidso。
’MrStringer，’saidhe，’howdoyoupayyourrent，andtowhomdoyoupayit？’Therewasimmediatelyajerkinthehat，andthenitdisappeared。Toogood，steppingtotheopendoor，sawthatthered—nosedclerkhadtakenhishatoffandwasverybusyathisaccounts。
’HowdoIpaymyrent？’saidMrStringer，thelandlord。’Well，sir，sincethiscursedgouthasbeensobad，it’shardenoughtopayitatallsometimes。Youain’theretolookforit，sir，areyou？’
’NotI，’saidToogood。’Itwasonlyachancequestion。’HefeltthathehadnothingmoretodowithMrStringer，thelandlord。MrStringer，thelandlord，knewnothingaboutMrSoames’scheque。’What’sthenameofyourclerk？’saidhe。
’Thenameofmyclerk？’saidMrStringer。’Whydoyouwanttoknowthenameofmyclerk？’