deboard. Opposite, beside the fire-place, were
sink and boiler; between the windows, a white-topped table. There
were four dark painted wooden chairs. A clock over the table, and a
rolling-towel beside the sink; green Holland window-shades; these
were the only adornments and drapery. There was a closet at each end
of the room.

"Will you go up to your room now, or wait till after tea?" asked
Mrs. Scherman.

"We might take up our things, now," said Bel, looking round at the
four chairs. "They would be in the way here, perhaps."

Kate took up her bag from the table.

"We can find the room," she said, "if you will direct us."

"Up three flights; two from the dining-room; the back chamber. You
can stop at my room as you come down, and we will think about tea.
Mr. Scherman will soon be home; and I should like to surprise him
with something very comfortable."

The girls found their way up-stairs.

The room, when they reached it, looked pleasant, though bare. The
sun had gone below the horizon, beyond the river which they could
not see; but the western light still shone in across the roofs.
There were window-seats in the two windows, uncushioned. A square of
clean, but faded carpet was laid down before the bed and reached to
the table,--simple maple-stained pine, uncovered,--that stood
beneath a looking-glass in a maple frame, between the windows. There
were three maple-stained chairs in the room. A door into a good,
deep closet stood open; there was a low grate in the chimney, unused
of course, with no fire-irons about it, and some scraps of refuse
thrown into it and left there; this was the only actual untidiness
about the room, where there was not the first touch of cosiness or
comfort. The only depth of color was in a heavy woven dark-blue and
white counterpane upon the bed.

"Now, Kate Sencerbox, shut up!" said Bel Bree, turning round upon
her, after the first comprehensive glance, as Kate came in last, and
closed the door.

Kate put her muff down on the bed, folded her hands meekly, and
looked at Bel with a mischievous air that said plainly enough "Ain't
I?" and which she would not falsify by speech.

"Yes, I know you are; but--_stay_ shut up! All this isn't as it is a
going to be,--though it's _not_ bad even now!"

Kate resolutely stayed shut up.

"You see that carpet is just put there; within this last hour, I
dare say. Look at the clean ravel in the end. They've taken away the
old, tramped one. That's