Every thing, in its season, was to be found there, without regard to prices.  Of course, the boarders were delighted, and complimented Mrs. Turner upon the excellent fare which they received.

Mr. and Mrs. Cameron continued as affable and interesting as when they first came into the house.  But the first quarter passed away, and nothing was said about their bill, and Mrs. Turner never thought of giving them a polite hint.  Two of her young men were also remiss in this respect, but they were such gentlemanly, polite, attentive individuals, that, of course, nothing could be said.

“I believe I’ve never had your bill, Mrs. Turner, have I?” Mr. Cameron said to her one evening, when about six months had passed.

“No; I have never thought of handing it in.  But it’s no difference, I’m not in want of money.”

“Yes, but it ought to be paid.  I’ll bring you up a check from the counting-room in a few days.”

“Suit your own convenience, Mr. Cameron,” answered Mrs. Turner, in an indifferent tone.

“O, it’s perfectly convenient at all times.  But knowing that you were not in want of it, has made me negligent.”

This was all that was said on the subject for another quarter, during which time the two young men alluded to as being in arrears, went off, cheating the widow out of fifty dollars each.

But nothing was said about it to the other boarders, and none of them knew of the wrong that had been sustained.  Their places did not fill up, and the promised weekly income was reduced to twenty-four dollars.

At the end of the third quarter, Mr. Cameron again recollected that he had neglected to bring up a check from the counting-room, and blamed himself for his thoughtlessness.

“I am so full of business,” said he, “that I sometimes neglect these little things.”

“But it’s a downright shame, Mr. Cameron, when it’s so easy for you to draw off a check and put it into your pocket,” remarked his wife.

“O, it’s not a particle of difference,” Mrs. Turner volunteered to say, smiling—­though, to tell the truth, she would much rather have had the money.

“Well, I’ll try and bear it in mind this very night,” and Mr. Cameron hurried away, as business pressed.

The morning after Mr. Cameron’s fourth quarter expired, he walked out, as usual, with his wife before breakfast.  But when all assembled at the table, they had not (something very uncommon for them) returned.

“I wonder what keeps Mr. and Mrs. Cameron?” remarked Mrs. Turner.

“Why, I saw them leave in the steamboat for the South, this morning,” said one of the boarders.

“You must be mistaken,” Mrs. Turner replied.

“O no, ma’am, not at all.  I saw them, and conversed with them before the boat started.  They told me that they were going on as far as Washington.”

“Very strange!” ejaculated Mrs. Turner.  “They said nothing to me about it.”