“Well, I’m willin’ to help folks out—always,” said Mr. Chumley, his withered cheek flushing. “If you’re finding the rent of this house too much fer ye, why, there’s cheaper tenements in town. I own some of ’em myself. Taxes is increased this year and I gotter go up on all rentals——”
“But, Mr. Chumley! we’ve lived in this cottage of yours ever since I can remember. We’ve paid you a lot of rent. You surely are not going to increase it now?”
“I am, after December, Miss Josephine,” declared Mr. Chumley. “I gotter do it. Beginnin’ with January first your mother will have to pay three dollars more each month. You kin tell her that. I’m giving you a month’s warning.”
“Oh, Mr. Chumley! Surely you won’t put us out——”
“I ain’t sayin’ nothing about putting you out, though your mother ain’t as sure pay as some others. She’s slow. And she’s a woman alone. Hard to git your money out of a widder woman. No. She can stay if she pays the three dollars increase. Otherwise, I got the cottage as good as rented right now to another party.”
He moved toward the door, without lifting his eyes again to Jess’s face.
“You’ll tell her that,” he said. “I’d like to do business with her instead of with a half-grown gal. Don’t suppose you could let me have the next month’s rent to-night, eh?”
“It isn’t due yet, Mr. Chumley,” Jess said, undecided whether to “get mad” or to cry!
“Well——Hello! who’s these?”
There was another clatter of footsteps upon the porch as old Mr. Chumley opened the outer door. Jess looked past him and saw a female and a male figure crowding into the entry. For a moment she recognized neither.