Besides, the rooms were located
in that dreadful alley; and, do what she would, Mrs. Roberts could not
feel that that dangerously-beautiful face could find a safe
abiding-place in that alley. Some other way must be thought of.
Their immediate future was arranged through the intervention of a house
agent; for even that dreary and desolate cellar had its agent, who was
eager to secure his rent. He was unwise enough to undertake to interview
Mrs. Roberts as she descended from her carriage, not long after it had
followed Mart's mother to the grave.
He considered this effort of his a special stroke of business energy. He
wanted to be patient with the poor, he said; there wasn't an agent in
the city who waited for them oftener than he did; but business was
business, and it stood to reason that he could not depend on a fellow
like Dirk. It had been bad enough when the mother was there, but he
couldn't think of such a thing as risking it now. What was he to
understand? Did she mean to rent the room for them, and for how long?
Because it was his duty to look out for the future.
What would be more natural than for Mrs. Roberts, with those two young
things looking on, to say that of course she would be responsible for
the rent as long as they lived in the room? Thus reasoned the house
agent.
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