"What's the odds? She wasn't willing to pay for a good article."
"I don't believe I can do business that way," thought Oliver.
Just then Mr. Kenyon returned with Ezekiel Bond from the back room in which they had been conferring.
"It's all settled, Oliver," he said. "Mr. Bond has agreed to take you, and you are to begin work next Monday morning."
Oliver bowed. The place did not seem quite so desirable to him now.
When Mr. Kenyon and he had left the store, the former said:
"Every Saturday evening Mr. Bond will hand you twelve dollars, out of which you will be expected to defray all your expenses."
"The other clerk told me he only got eight."
"Part of this sum comes from me. I don't want you to be pinched. You have been brought up differently from him. I hope you'll like my nephew."
"I hope I shall," said Oliver, but his tone implied doubt.
Oliver didn't go back to his native village. Mr. Kenyon sent on his trunk, and thus obviated the necessity. Our hero took up his quarters at a cheap hotel until, with the help of John Meadows, he obtained a room in St. Mark's Place. The room was a large square one, tolerably well furnished. The price asked was four dollars a week.
"That is rather more than I ought to pay just for a room," said Oliver.
"I'll tell you how you can get it cheaper," said John Meadows.
"Take me for your room-mate. I'll pay a dollar and a half toward the rent."
Oliver hesitated, but finally decided to accept John's offer. Though his fellow-clerk was not altogether to his taste, it would prevent his feeling lonely, and he had no other acquaintances to select from.
"Is it a bargain?" said John, delighted. "I'll give my Bleecker Street landlady notice right off. Why, I shall feel like a prince here!"
"You bet! That's only big enough for a middling sized cat, while this----"
"Is big enough for two large ones," said Oliver, smiling.
"Yes, and a whole litter of kittens into the bargain. We'll have a jolly time together."
"Of course," said John seriously, "when I get married that'll terminate the contract."
"Do you think of getting married soon?" asked Oliver, surprised and amused.
"I'll tell you about it," said John, with the utmost gravity. "Last month I had my fortune told."
"It was told by Mme. Catalina, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter; so, of course, she wasn't a humbug."