"You do not? It is a tremendous kindness to him, I assure you. To have a place of his own has long been his dream, he tells me; but he cannot afford it without the financial assistance I would give. Again, even if he could finance it, he would not venture to try it alone, because of his health. It appears that he is subject to some kind of attacks--heart, I suppose--and does not want to be alone. I have heard him walking his floor at 3 o'clock in the morning. Do you know anything about his life?" "No. Nothing." "I know everything." He paused for her to ask him questions, that he might have the pleasure of refusing her. But instead of prying, Sharlee said: "Still I'm sorry that you are going." "Well? Why?" "Because," said Sharlee. "Proceed." "Because I don't like his eyes." "The question, from your point of view," said Mr. Queed, "is a moral--not an optic one. These acts which confer benefits on others," he continued, "so peculiarly commended by your religion, are conceived by it to work moral good to the doer. The _eyes_ (which you use synecdochically to represent the _character_) of the person to whom they are done, have nothing--" "Mr. Queed," said Sharlee, briskly interrupting his exegetical words, "I believe you are going off with Professor Nicolovius chiefly because--you think he needs you!" He looked up sharply, much surprised and irritated. "That is absolutely foolish and absurd. I have nothing in the world to do with what Professor Nicolovius needs. You must always remember that I am not a subscriber to the tenets of your religion." "It is not too late. I always remember that too." "But I must say frankly that I am much surprised at the way you interpret those tenets. For if--" "Oh, you should never have tested me on such a question! Don't you see that I'm the judge sitting in his or her own case? Two boarders gone at one swoop! How shall I break the news to Aunt Jennie?" He thought this over in silence and then said impatiently; "I'm sorry, but I do not feel that I can consider that phase of the matter." "Certainly not." "The arrangement between us is a strictly business one, based on mutual advantage, and to be terminated at will as the interests of either party dictates." "Exactly." He turned a sharp glance on her, and rose. Having risen he stood a moment, irresolute, frowning, troubled by a thought. Then he said, in an annoyed, nervous voice:-- "Look here, will it be a serious thing for your aunt to lose me?" The agent burst out laughing. He was surprised by her merriment; he could not guess that it covered her instantaneous discovery that she liked him more than she would ever have thought possible.