“It includes the gas, but it don't include the fire,” said the landlady, firmly. “And it's pretty low at that, as you've found out, I guess.” “Yes, it is low,” said Marcia. “Bartley, I think we'd better take it.” She looked at him timidly, as if she were afraid he might not think it good enough; she did not think it good enough for him, but she felt that they must make their money go as far as possible. “All _right_!” he said. “Then it's a bargain.” “And how much more will the board be?” “Well, there,” the landlady said, with candor, “I don't know as I can meet your views. I don't ever give board. But there's plenty of houses right on the street here where you can get day-board from four dollars a week up.” “Oh, dear!” sighed Marcia; “and that would make it twelve dollars!” “Why, the dear suz, child!” exclaimed the landlady, “you didn't expect to get it for less?” “We must,” said Marcia. “Then you'll have to go to a mechanics' boardin'-house.” “I suppose we shall,” she returned, dejectedly. Bartley whistled. “Look here,” said the landlady, “aint you from Down East, some'eres?” Marcia started, as if the woman had recognized them. “Yes.” she said. “Well, now,” said Mrs. Nash, “I'm from down Maine way myself, and I'll tell you what I should do, if I was in your _place_. You don't want much of anything tor breakfast or tea; you can boil you an egg on the stove here, and you can make your own tea or coffee; and if I was you, I'd go out for my dinners to an eatin'-house. I heard some my lodgers tellin' how they done. Well, I heard the very gentlemen that occupied this room sayin' how they used to go to an eatin'-house, and one 'd order one thing, and another another, and then they'd halve it between 'em, and make out a first-rate meal for about a quarter apiece. Plenty of places now where they give you a cut o'lamb or rib-beef for a shillin', and they bring you bread and butter and potato with it; an' it's always enough for two. That's what they _said_. I haint never tried it myself; but as long as you haint got anybody but yourselves to care for, there aint any reason why _you_ shouldn't.” They looked at each other. “Well,” added the landlady for a final touch, “_say_ fire. That stove won't burn a great deal, anyway.” “All right,” said Bartley, “we'll take the room--for a month, at least.” Mrs. Nash looked a little embarrassed. If she had made some concession to the liking she had conceived for this pretty young couple, she could not risk everything. “I always have to get the first week in advance--where there ain't no reference,” she suggested. “Of course,” said Bartley, and he took out his pocket-book, which he had a boyish satisfaction in letting her see was well filled. “Now, Marcia,” he continued, looking at his watch, “I'll just run over to the hotel, and give up our room before they get us in for dinner.”