her
at last; Mrs. Mangenborn is going."

Von Barwig smiled. "Is she?" he said simply, "I am glad for your sake.
Now you will be mistress of your own establishment."

"I was always mistress of my own establishment, professor," replied
Miss Husted with dignity. "Always."

"Except sometimes when the cards would direct the policy of the house,"
said Von Barwig. "Whenever there is a superstition, dear lady," he
went on, "there is no freedom! We become slaves of our own beliefs."

"Well, I'm glad she's going, anyway," said Miss Husted, not quite
comprehending, but not wishing to dispute with Von Barwig. "Why,
professor!" and Miss Husted started. She had just noticed that his
clothes and books were packed into bundles, as if ready to be carried
away. "Professor, professor!" she gasped, "what is the meaning of
that?" and she pointed to a big stack of music tied up, "and that, and
that, and that," pointing to various articles.

"It means, dear lady, that I'm going to move," said Von Barwig
complacently.

"Move!" almost shrieked Miss Husted.

"Yes, as the top floor will not come down to me, I shall move up to the
top floor. You see I am nearly all ready. Pinac and Fico will help
me; and up I shall go! It is one way of getting up in the world, eh,
Miss Husted?" he said with a little laugh, and he looked at her as if
he expected her to laugh, too, but she did not join in his merriment.

"There's no room upstairs," she said at last, as if determined he
should not go.

"Oh, yes, in the hallway; a nice little room, large enough for my
wants."

"But that is a storeroom," cried Miss Husted.

"When I occupy it, it will be a bedroom," laughed Von Barwig, "and just
think," he added, "I shall be nearer my friends! They can visit me
without running up and down stairs. I shall have additional
advantages, at a less rental."

Miss Husted looked at him sorrowfully. She knew it was useless to
argue with him, so she gave her consent, but insisted on taking a very
small sum for her room. And so Von Barwig moved from the ground floor
to the attic. This floor with its huge atelier window on the roof and
its stair running down at the back had been used by an artist on
account of the splendid light. Although a hallway, it was fitted up as
a room. There was a stove, a sink, a large cupboard, and other
conveniences for light housekeeping. There were four bedroom doors
opening into this hallway, three of which were occup