that looks like a new boarder). "Don't go--I
thought it was--I thought it was--somebody else that rang. Come in, do."

She looked as if I was doing her a great honor, and I thought that
looked like poor pay, but I was too glad at not seeing the landlord just
then to care if I did lose _one_ week's board; besides, she didn't look
as if she _could_ eat much.

"I see you advertise a small bedroom to let," said she, looking
appealing-like, as if she was going to beat me down on the strength of
being poor. "How much is it a week?"

"Eight dollars," said I, rather shortly. Seven dollars was all I
expected to get, but I put on one, so as to be beaten down without
losing anything. "I can get eight from a single gentleman, the only
objection being that he wants to keep a dog in the back yard."

"Oh, I'll pay it," said she, quickly taking out her pocketbook. "I'll
take it for six weeks, anyhow."

I never felt so ashamed of myself in my life. I made up my mind to read
a penitential passage of Scripture as soon as I closed the bargain with
her, but, remembering the Book says to be reconciled to your brother
before laying your gift on the altar, I says, quick as I could, for
fear that if I thought over it again I couldn't be honest:

"You shall have it for seven, my dear madame, if you're going to stay so
long, and I'll do your washing without extra charge."

This last I said to punish myself for suspecting an innocent little
lady.

"Oh, thank you--thank you _very_ much," said she, and then she began to
cry.

I knew _that_ wasn't for effect, for we were already agreed on terms,
and she had her pocketbook open showing more money that _I_ ever have at
a time, unless it's rent-day.

She tried to stop crying by burying her face in her hands, and it made
her look so much smaller and so pitiful that I picked her right up, as
if she was a baby, and kissed her. Then she cried harder, and I--a woman
over forty, too--couldn't find anything better to do than to cry with
her.

I knew her whole story within five minutes--knew it perfectly well
before I'd fairly shown her the room and got it aired.

They were from the West, and had been married about a year. She hadn't a
relative in the world, but _his_ folks had friends in Philadelphia, so
he'd got a place as clerk in a big clothing factory, at twelve hundred
dollars a year. They'd been keeping house, just as cozy as could be in
four rooms, and were as happy as anybody in the worl