At 9 o’clock he was dismissed from evening school, and the attentive Lawrence steered him over to Standerland Hall, where Mr. Morris showed him the rooms he was to share with a Fourth Former. This was a pleasant little apartment, consisting of a study and two bedrooms, which looked eastward, over Lovel’s Woods and the Strathsey River.
“You can unpack to-morrow,” said Mr. Morris, “but you may take half-an-hour now to get acquainted with your room-mate.”
As they entered the room a tall, lanky youth had arisen from a Morris chair. He had rather fair, well-moulded features, a cool gray eye, a quiet but somewhat patronizing manner, a drawl to his speech, and a general air of distinction, not unmingled with conceit.
“This is Tony Deering, Carroll. Tony, allow me to present you to your room-mate, Mr. Reginald Carter Westover Carroll, of Virginia.”
“Awh, thanks, Mr. Morris, for getting it all in,” drawled Carroll. “How-de-do, Deering; pray don’t hesitate to make yourself at home.” He languidly extended his hand, and allowed Tony to shake it. “Won’t you honor us, Mr. Morris?” he asked, waving his hand gracefully in the direction of the deep easy chair.
“No, thank you; not to-night, Reginald. Be good enough to explain to Deering the simple rules that theoretically will govern his behaviour. Lights are to be out at nine-thirty. Good-night.”
He shook hands with the boys cordially, and left them alone together. Deering looked curiously about him, a hundred questions on the tip of his tongue; which however he refrained from asking, as he saw Carroll sink back into the Morris chair, extract the novel that he had slipped under it when he had heard the knock, and resume reading.
Tony stood for a moment, a trifle disconcerted. He was a little at loss to know what might be the etiquette of such an occasion. “I say,” he blurted out at last, “I think you might put that book down and tell a fellow a thing or two.”
Carroll placed the book on the table at his side, with an air of mild surprise. “Dear child,” he murmured indulgently, “shall we adopt the Socratic method?”