The Mission of Poubalov — page 170: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

166 THE LITTLE FRONT ROOM. ‘ want a five-dollar room, I’d like to save climbing stairs t show those at two dollars. Come on,”’ ‘“There’s a room for five,’’ she said, opening the door o the back room up one flight. It was the room sdjoinind that occupied by Poubalov. ‘‘The others on this floor ar occupied. ’”’ “This little front room, too?’’ asked Paul, his hand the door. He had quietly tried it and found it locked fore she answered in the affirmative and started up next flight. They looked at every room in the honse above the sec ond floor. Some of them were occupied, but the lané udy opened the doors and looked in. Paul noticed that the or locked door was the one to the front hall room next Poubalov’s. ‘‘Well,’’ said the landlady at last as they stood on th landing beside Poubalov’ s door, ‘‘do you see anything you like?’’ “Yes,’? answered Paul, ‘‘I’ll take this back room,’’ anc he took a five-dollar bill from his pocket and gave it to her. He said he would occupy the room at once, and the landlady gave him a house key. } While this transaction was in progress, a young wom came up the stairs, hamming a tune with that noncha- lance that indicates familiarity with one’s surroundings, opened the door of the little front room with a key she took from her purse, and went in, leaving the door ope until she had thrown back the blinds. -“She’s been with me a year and a half,” remarked the . landlady, complacently, ‘‘and I don’t believe you coul¢ hire her to occupy any other room.”’ Eomichooks.com