It's the new boarder, Puss." This without rising.
The young Englishman made the awkward bow common to his nationality and time of life in circumstances of delicacy and difficulty, and these were of that sort; for, being taken by surprise, his natural, lifelong self sprang to the front, and that self of course would not know just how to act when introduced to a chambermaid, or to the heiress of a mechanics' boarding house.

His other self--the self which recognized the equality of all men--would have managed the thing better, if it hadn't been caught off guard and robbed of its chance.

The young girl paid no attention to the bow, but put out her hand frankly and gave the stranger a friendly shake and said: "How do you do ?" Then she marched to the one washstand in the room, tilted her head this way and that before the wreck of a cheap mirror that hung above it, dampened her fingers with her tongue, perfected the circle of a little lock of hair that was pasted against her forehead, then began to busy herself with the slops.
"Well, I must be going--it's getting towards supper time.

Make yourself at home, Mr.

Tracy, you'll hear the bell when it's ready." The landlady took her tranquil departure, without commanding either of the young people to vacate the room.