He had a bath in the wonderful enamelled tub on the floor below and felt cooler and generally better for it. After he had returned to his room and made himself as comfortable on the bed as the hard, lumpy mattress would allow he heard the sound of arrivals. Voices and footsteps and the banging of doors came to him. Downstairs a spirited battle began for the possession of the bathroom. Across the hall from his closed door a youth with a strident voice sang loudly and opened and shut drawers most ungently. In spite of the noise, Ira, who had slept but poorly on the train the night before, drowsed off presently and knew no more until there came a banging at his portal. Half awake, he admitted the expressman with his trunk, paid for it in a stupor and then subsided on it to gather his faculties. His blinking gaze rested on the window seat and he began to chuckle at the perfectly idiotic way in which it thrust one decrepit end into the room. By that time he was sufficiently awake to find his key and open the trunk, after which he donned fresh underwear and his second-best suit of blue serge, spruced himself up and thought of supper. However, there was no great hurry about that, he concluded. Since he had decided to get his meals at the restaurants for awhile he was not required to observe regular hours. It was only a little past six, and there was his trunk to unpack and his things to find places for.
The closet, although short on hooks, was roomy. He made a mental memoranda to buy some hooks tomorrow and in the meanwhile doubled up with what there were. The bureau drawers stuck abominably, but he at last conquered them and arranged his possessions within. Books, of which he had brought a good many, were equally divided between bookcase and shelves. (He wondered why he had bought the shelves until he remembered that he hadnt; that Mart Johnston had bought them!) By half-past six the nearly empty trunk was pushed out of sight in the closet, his few toilet things decorated the marble top of the bureau, sponge and toothbrush reposed on the washstand and, in short, he was settled.
The room really began to look a bit homelike, he concluded, viewing it critically from what would have been the hearth-rug had he possessed such a thing. He would have to get something to hide the tattered and torn leather on the couch, and a cloth for the hideous walnut table; and, of course, there was that ridiculous window seat! He had to smile every time his eyes fell on it, but for some reason it seemed quite the most companionable article of furniture in sight. He decided that he would find an upholsterer and have a good cushion made for it, and then he would buy some pillows. Probably, he reflected, he would fall over the protruding end of the crazy thing a dozen times in the next week. If only
And right there a brilliant idea struck him! Why, of course! he exclaimed. He tugged and pushed the oak desk alongside the end of the seat that ran out from the wall, restored the walnut table to its erstwhile position in the middle of the rug, placed the plush easy-chair beside it and there you were! That put his desk between the windows, with the light coming over his left shoulder very nicely, and made a back for the homeless end of the window seat. And it looked great! He was quite proud of that arrangement and went out in search of supper very cheerfully.
He found a lunch room around the corner on Linden Street and, probably more because he was really hungry than because the food was especially good, made an excellent repast, with an evening paper propped up against the vinegar cruet. It was nearly eight when he wandered back to his lodging through the warm, quiet evening. Most of the stores on Main Street were closed, but a few windows still threw floods of yellow radiance across the brick sidewalks. Doorsteps held family groups, quite as if Summer had not gone, and children played along the pavement. An old-fashioned lantern with a gas jet sizzling inside it hung above the door of Number 200 and threw a wavering, uncertain light on the four creaking steps. As Ira passed into the hall the door of the tailors shop was open and he saw a little hunchbacked man of uncertain age and nationality working steadily and swiftly over a pressing board. On each floor a dim gaslight flickered, but for most of the distance each flight was in darkness and he made his way upwards warily, a guiding hand on the banister rail.
Halfway up the second flight he heard Mrs. Magoons voice. It sounded querulous, even a trifle resentful. The next moment another voice broke in angrily, and Ira reached the third floor and viewed an astounding scene. In the doorway of his room, seated determinedly on a small trunk, with a bag on his knees, was a boy of perhaps sixteen. In front of him stood Mrs. Magoon, her hands wrapped in her apron. At the sound of his footsteps both actors in the little drama staged on his doorsill turned their heads and regarded him, the boy with an expression of dogged defiance and Mrs. Magoon with very evident relief.
CHAPTER IV
FOUND A ROOMMATE
Now I guess youll behave yourself, exclaimed the landlady triumphantly. Heres the young man thats taken the room.
He hasnt any right to it, declared the boy on the trunk, gripping the bag on his knees more firmly. You gave me the refusal of it! I told you Id be back! Its my room, and I mean to keep it!
Ira looked inquiringly at Mrs. Magoon, but she silently referred him to the claimant in the doorway.
Whats wrong? Ira asked of the latter.
Why, I came here this afternoon and looked at this room and I asked this this lady if shed give me the refusal of it until evening and she said she would. I agreed to come back in any case and say whether Id take it or not. And now, when I send my trunk here, she tells me shes rented it to you!
I gave him no refusal, exclaimed Mrs. Magoon irately. He said hed be back, yes, but he didnt know whether he wanted it or didnt want it. And I cant be losing the chance to rent my rooms while hes making up his mind.
Well, if you didnt have a refusal, said Ira mildly, I dont see what claim you have. I found the room for rent and took it this afternoon, and paid two weeks in advance. Im sorry, but I guess youll have to look somewhere else.
I have looked! cried the other. There arent any rooms left. This is all there is. Ive been all over the crazy place.
Oh, I guess you can find one tomorrow, said Ira soothingly. Why dont you get a lodging for tonight somewhere and then start fresh in the morning? Ive got a list of houses here
Ive been all through the list. Everyones full up. Anyway, this is my room, and I mean to have it. She did give me the refusal of it, and she knows plaguey well she did!
The idea! exclaimed Mrs. Magoon in shrill tones. Calling me a liar to my face, are you? If you dont get right out of here this very minute Ill call a policeman, I will so!
Wait a minute, counselled Ira. He didnt mean it that way. Now I tell you what well do. He glanced across the corridor to where a door had just opened to emit a large youth who was now regarding them with his hands in his pockets and a broad smile on his face. You let this chap and me talk it over quietly, Mrs. Magoon. Well settle it between us. Theres no reason to get excited about it, is there? Just you go on down, maam, and itll be all right.
Theres only one way it can be settled, replied the landlady irately, and thats for him to take himself and his trunk out of my house!
But theres no hurry, Mrs. Magoon. Besides, were disturbing the others with all this racket. Shove that trunk inside, please, and well close the door first of all.
The idea! exclaimed Mrs. Magoon in shrill tones. Calling me a liar to my face, are you? If you dont get right out of here this very minute Ill call a policeman, I will so!
Wait a minute, counselled Ira. He didnt mean it that way. Now I tell you what well do. He glanced across the corridor to where a door had just opened to emit a large youth who was now regarding them with his hands in his pockets and a broad smile on his face. You let this chap and me talk it over quietly, Mrs. Magoon. Well settle it between us. Theres no reason to get excited about it, is there? Just you go on down, maam, and itll be all right.
Theres only one way it can be settled, replied the landlady irately, and thats for him to take himself and his trunk out of my house!
But theres no hurry, Mrs. Magoon. Besides, were disturbing the others with all this racket. Shove that trunk inside, please, and well close the door first of all.
Mrs. Magoon grunted, hesitated and finally went grumbling off down the stairs, and Ira, taking affairs into his own hands, pushed the small trunk out of the way of the door, its owner grudgingly vacating his strategic position atop, and closed the portal, to the disappointment of the neighbour across the way.
Now, said Ira pleasantly, sit down and be comfortable. Try the armchair. Whats your name? Mines Rowland.
Mines Nead, replied the other, not very amiably. Names havent anything to do with it, though.
Just wanted to know what to call you. Now, honest-to-goodness, Nead, did Mrs. Magoon say shed hold this room until you had decided?
She did! If its the last word I ever utter
All right! And, if you dont mind telling me, how much were you to pay for it?
Thirteen dollars and a half a month.
Ira did some mental calculating and smiled. Thats about three dollars a week, isnt it? he asked. Youre certain that was the price?
Of course Im certain. Three dollars was all I wanted to pay, and I told her so. She wanted four at first. Four dollars for this this old poverty-stricken attic!
Oh, I wouldnt be hard on it, said Ira pleasantly. I like it pretty well.
But it isnt yours! Now you look here, Boland
Rowland. And dont lets have any melodrama, please. We can come to a settlement if we dont shout, I guess. What you agreed to and what Mrs. Magoon agreed to is no business of mine. Thats between you two. She says the room is mine. You say its yours. Ive got it!
You havent any right
Well, theres the right of possession, chuckled Ira. Mind you, Im inclined to believe your account of what took place, because well, Im beginning to doubt Mrs. Thingamabobs er memory. But I think you left it pretty late to decide, Nead. If Id been Mrs. Magoon Id have considered myself released from that refusal by six oclock; by seven, anyway. You couldnt have got here until half-past, I guess.
I had to get something to eat and then find a man to fetch my trunk
Yes, but you could have dropped around before and told her youd take it. You see, Nead, if you hadnt wanted it, and she had stood by her bargain until nearly eight, she might not have rented it at all. Theres that to consider.
Oh, you make me tired! You talk like a like a lawyer! She said I could have the room and Ive come for it and thats all there is to it!
Well, what about me? inquired Ira mildly.
You can find another one. You can do what you told me to do. If you think its so easy, just take a try at it!
If I thought you really had a right to this room Id do it, answered Ira, but I dont. At least, not a convincing one. Tell you, though, what I will do, Nead. Ill get Mrs. Magoon to fix up some sort of a cot or something and you can stay here until tomorrow. Its pretty late to go room hunting now and thats a fact. Or maybe she has another room that she will let you have overnight. Well go down and ask her.
But I tell you its my room, Boland! I dont care whether you think I have any right to it or not. I know that I have. I know that I was given a refusal of it until evening
What do you call evening? interrupted Ira.
Oh, if youre going to split hairs
Im not, but if I said evening Id have some time like sunset in mind. The fact is, Nead, you didnt make sure that there was nothing better until just before you came around here. And if you had found anything better you would never have shown up here again. And you know thats so, too. Im perfectly willing to share the room with you tonight, but Im not going to get out of it. Im sorry the misunderstanding happened, but it isnt any fault of mine. Now, what do you say to making the best of things and bunking out here until morning?
Nead observed Ira gloweringly, and for a long moment made no answer, and in that moment Ira had a good look at him. He was at least a full year younger than Ira, a thin, rather peevish looking youth with a poor complexion. His features were not bad, and he had rather nice eyes, but there was something unpleasant about his expression. He wore good clothes, but wore them carelessly, and Ira noted that his tan shoes looked as if they had not seen polish for many days. On the whole, Ira felt no enthusiasm about having Nead for a roommate even overnight.
Well, Ill stay here, I suppose, said Nead ungraciously. But Im not giving up my claim on the room. Tomorrow I mean to go to the Principal and tell him about it. I guess he will see that I get what belongs to me.
All right! Thats settled for the present, anyway. Now Ill go down and interview Mrs. Magoon. If she hasnt an empty room she can probably find us a cot or a mattress. You can come along if you like, he ended questioningly.
But Nead shook his head. She will only get mad again if I go, he said. Besides, he added, tossing his hat to the table and stretching himself more comfortably in the plush chair, its not up to me. Im at home already.
Glad you feel that way, replied Ira gravely. Ill be back in a shake.
He found Mrs. Magoon more complaisant than he had expected. There was, she recalled, a cot in the attic, but he would have to bring it down himself. And having an extra person in the room would be fifty cents a day. Ira, however, gently but firmly negated that, pointing out that she had got herself into the fix and that it was nothing to do with him, and finally the landlady agreed to waive remuneration. Ten minutes later, not very enthusiastically aided by Nead, he had the cot set up. There was a rather sketchy mattress on it and Mrs. Magoon grudgingly furnished two sheets and a blanket. By that time Nead had got over his grouch to some extent and was displaying a few human qualities.
I thought I was going to have a room in one of the dormitories, he explained, divesting himself of his outer clothing and depositing it helter-skelter around the room. I wouldnt have come if Id known I had to room off the campus. Why, you can get a fine study in Leonard Hall for a hundred and twenty-five for the year, and thats only about three dollars a week. They ought to have enough dormitories here and not make fellows live around in dives like this. Gee, some of the prices they talked today would make your hair stand up! One place I went to asked six dollars for a room not half the size of this. It was furnished, though, which you cant say of this place. Shes put some more things in here since I saw it, though.