“But this isn’t your first visit?”

“Yes.”

“Really? How do you like our city?”

“I haven’t seen enough of it to know.” That was a lie. I had. “I got in only this afternoon.”

Her shiny eyes stopped prying while she said:

“You’ll find it a dreary place.” She returned to her digging with: “I suppose all mining towns are like this. Are you engaged in mining?”

“Not just now.”

She looked at the clock on the mantel and said:

“It’s inconsiderate of Donald to bring you out here and then keep you waiting, at this time of night, long after business hours.”

I said that was all right.