The boarder who had eloped was a student at the theological seminary, and he had really gone to visit his family, so that he had a fairly good conscience in giving this color to the fact that he was leaving the place permanently¹ because he could not bear it any longer. It was a shade of deceit to connive² with his room-mate for the custody³ of his carpet-bag and the few socks and collars and the one shirt and summer coat which did not visibly affect its lankness⁴ when gathered into it from his share of the bureau-drawers; but he did not know what else to do, and he trusted to a final forgiveness when all the facts were considered by a merciful providence⁵. His board was fully⁶ paid, and he had suffered long. He argued with his room-mate that he could do no good by remaining, and that he would have stayed if he could have believed there was any use. Besides, the food was undermining his health, and the room with that broken window [Pg 128]had given him a cold already. He had a right to go, and it was his duty to himself and the friends who were helping⁷ him through the seminary not to get sick.

 

He did not feel that he had convinced his room-mate, who took charge of his carpet-bag and now sat with it between his feet waiting the signal of the fugitive⁸'s surreptitious return for it. He was a vague-looking young man, presently in charge of the "Local and Literary" column of the one daily paper of the place, and he had just explained to the two other boarders who were watching with him for the event that he was not certain whether it was the supper, or the anxiety of the situation, or just what it was that was now affecting his digestion⁹.

 

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