But the terms she offered the girl for the entire top floor were so absurdly
small that Athalie hesitated, astonished and perplexed.
"Oh, there's a jinx in the place," said the landlady; "I ain't aiming to deceive nobody, and I'll tell you the God-awful truth. If I don't," she added naïvely, "somebody else is sure to hand it to you and you'll get sore on me and quit."
"What is the matter with the apartment?" inquired the girl uneasily.
"I'll tell you: the lady that had it went dead on me last August."
"Is that all?"
"No, dearie. It was chloral. And of course, the papers got hold of it and nobody wants the apartment. That's why you get it cheap—if you'll take it and chase out the jinx that's been wished on me. Will you, dearie?"
"I don't know," said the girl, looking around at the newly decorated and cheerful rooms.
The landlady sniffed: "It certainly was one on me when I let that jinx into my house—to have her go dead on me and all like that."
"Poor thing," murmured Athalie, partly to herself.