ngage it this morning;
but, no doubt, I can arrange with the family to take the two rooms above,
which will suit them just as well."

"If you can"--

"There'll be no difficulty, I presume. You'll pay twelve dollars a week?"

"Yes."

"Only yourself and lady?"

"That's all."

"Very well, sir; you can have the room."

"It's a bargain, then. My name is Ring. Our week is up to-day where we are;
and, if it is agreeable, we will become your guests to-morrow."

"Perfectly agreeable, Mr. Ring."

The gentleman bowed politely and retired.

Now Mrs. Darlington did not feel very comfortable when she reflected on
what she had done. The rooms in the second story were positively engaged to
Mr. Scragg, and now one of them was as positively engaged to Mr. Ring. The
face of Mr. Scragg she remembered very well. It was a hard, sinister face,
just such a one as we rarely forget because of the disagreeable impression
it makes. As it came up distinctly before the eyes of her mind, she was
oppressed with a sense of coming trouble. Nor did she feel altogether
satisfied with what she had done--satisfied in her own conscience.

On the next morning, Mr. and Mrs. Ring came and took possession of the room
previously engaged to Mr. Scragg. They were pleasant people, and made a
good first impression.

As day after day glided past, Mrs. Darlington felt more and more uneasy
about Mr. Scragg, with whom, she had a decided presentiment, there would be
trouble. Had she known where to find him, she would have sent him a note,
saying that she had changed her mind about the rooms, and could not let him
have them. But she was ignorant of his address; and the only thing left for
her was to wait until he came on Monday, and then get over the difficulty
in the best way possible. She and Edith had talked over the matter
frequently, and had come to the determination to offer Mr. Scragg the two
chambers in the third story for fourteen dollars.

On Monday morning, Mrs. Darlington was nervous. This was the day on which
Mr. Scragg and family were to arrive, and she felt that there would be
trouble.

Mr. Ring, and the other gentlemen boarders, left soon after breakfast.
About ten o'clock, the door-bell rang. Mrs. Darlington was in her room at
the time changing her dress. Thinking that this might be the announcement
of Mr. Scragg's arrival, she hurried through her dressing in order to get
down to the parlor as quickly as possible to meet him and the diffic