Part 1, Chapter 11 Summary

Eliza buys a rooming house called Dixieland. Gant has made the down payment for her and had the papers made out in her name. She will pay the remainder off in annual installments. Eliza takes Eugene with her, essentially separating from Gant; Helen stays with her father. Steve has been away from home most of the time since he turned eighteen, sometimes forging checks on his father, and coming home occasionally when he claims to be sick.

Eugene, eight years old, goes back and forth between the two houses. He sleeps in the same bed with Eliza, and she clings to him when she is not so preoccupied that she doesn't miss him. He prefers to go home and sleep with Ben, whose room has two beds. Gant goes to the boarding house once in a while to rant about Eliza...