They left the room and entered a narrow hallway. Through a door to the right Jeanne caught the yellow gleam of a fire.
“Tad keeps the furnace,” the girl said simply. “We get our flat for that.”
There was a suggestion of pride in her tone as she said “our flat.”
“I’m going to like her more and more,” thought Jeanne. “What’s your name?” she asked.
“Merry Murphy.” The other girl spelled the first name out. “I have to do it,” she explained. “People think it’s M-a-r-y.”
“It should be M-e-r-r-y,” laughed Jeanne.
“Here’s our dining room and workshop.” The girl led the way into a room lighted by a score of lamps.
“How odd!” The words escaped Jeanne’s lips unbidden.
“They’re all fixed. Tad fixed them,” said Merry proudly. “We’ll sell them, but until we do we’ll use them. See, the lights are very tiny. It costs little to use them. And it makes us forget this is a basement. And it is, you know.”
“No!” Jeanne’s tone was sincere. “I truly had forgotten.”