ing out for someone for the room,
Ruth had not expected him to bring anyone home in this sudden manner,
and she could not help wishing that he had told her beforehand of his
intention. It being Monday, she had been very busy all day and she was
conscious that she was rather untidy in her appearance. Her long brown
hair was twisted loosely into a coil behind her head. She blushed in
an embarrassed way as the young man stared at her.

Easton introduced Slyme by name and they shook hands; and then at
Ruth's suggestion Easton took a light to show him the room, and while
they were gone Ruth hurriedly tidied her hair and dress.

When they came down again Slyme said he thought the room would suit him
very well. What were the terms?

Did he wish to take the room only--just to lodge? inquired Ruth, or
would he prefer to board as well?

Slyme intimated that he desired the latter arrangement.

In that case she thought twelve shillings a week would be fair. She
believed that was about the usual amount. Of course that would include
washing, and if his clothes needed a little mending she would do it for
him.

Slyme expressed himself satisfied with these terms, which were as Ruth
had said--about the usual ones. He would take the room, but he was not
leaving his present lodgings until Saturday. It was therefore agreed
that he was to bring his box on Saturday evening.

When he had gone, Easton and Ruth stood looking at each other in
silence. Ever since this plan of letting the room first occurred to
them they had been very anxious to accomplish it; and yet, now that it
was done, they felt dissatisfied and unhappy, as if they had suddenly
experienced some irreparable misfortune. In that moment they
remembered nothing of the darker side of their life together. The hard
times and the privations were far off and seemed insignificant beside
the fact that this stranger was for the future to share their home. To
Ruth especially it seemed that the happiness of the past twelve months
had suddenly come to an end. She shrank with involuntary aversion and
apprehension from the picture that rose before her of the future in
which this intruder appeared the most prominent figure, dominating
everything and interfering with every detail of their home life. Of
course they had known all this before, but somehow it had never seemed
so objectionable as it did now, and as Easton thought of it he was
filled an unreasonable resentment aga