Chester observed him commiseratingly for a moment. Then he asked suddenly:
“Did you bring Maid back?”
“No, I left her. She’s happier at home, I reckon.”
“Good work! Then look here, Phil; what’s the matter with coming here? I wish you would! It would only be forty dollars for the rest of the year. Would that be too much?”
“No; that’s what I pay where I am; only—if I really thought you wanted me and weren’t just taking pity on me, I’d like mighty well to come.”
“Pity be blowed! Of course I want you. I wish I’d known before that you were going to change.”
“But I haven’t any furniture,” Phillip objected. “I sold about everything.”
“You wouldn’t need anything except a bed, and you can get that cheap any old place. Will you come?”
“Yes. You’re mighty good, Chester.”
“I don’t see that,” was the answer. “Fact is, I’m rather lonesome. I thought when I started out it would be nice to have a place by myself. At Exeter I had a roommate, but I didn’t like it. He always wanted to cut up when I had to grind, and always had to grind when I wanted to have fun. We were always scrapping.”