He groaned as he took off his coat in his cold
little room at the boarding house which lodged and fed him, both
indifferently, for the sum of twelve dollars per week.
Jinx, the little hybrid dog, occupied the seat of his one comfortable
chair. He eyed the animal somberly.
"Hereafter, old man," he said, "when I feel a spell of oratory coming
on, you will have to be the audience." He took his dressing gown
from a nail behind the door, and commenced to put it on. Then he
took it off again and wrapped the dog in it.
"I can read in bed, which you can't," he observed. "Only, I can't
help thinking, with all this town to pick from, you might have chosen
a fellow with two dressing gowns and two chairs."
* * * * *
He was extremely quiet all the next day. Miss Boyd could hear him,
behind the partition with its "Please Keep Out" sign, fussing with
bottles and occasionally whistling to himself. Once it was the "Long,
Long Trail," and a moment later he appeared in his doorway, grinning.
"Sorry," he said. "I've got in the habit of thinking to the fool
thing. Won't do it again."
"You must be thinking hard.
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