Mrs. Chanders, a widow, and her twenty-seven-year-old daughter Ida discuss Ida's recent marriage to Mr. Ludlow. Seven years prior, Mr. Ludlow moved into their rooming house and assisted them financially. Mr. Ludlow lives in the room above the family, and Mrs. Chanders urges Ida to go to her new room upstairs soon, now that they are married. Ida shows her mother a hundred-dollar bill that Mr. Ludlow gave her that day, and they bewilderedly examine it. Ida feels frustrated that she has to marry Mr. Ludlow and calls him an "outsider." She argues that she belongs in her family and not with him. Mrs. Chanders assures Ida that Mr. Ludlow has supported them financially for various years and is a refined gentleman. Mrs. Chanders does not want Ida to become as poor as her and her husband.   Ida yells that she hates Mr. Ludlow and would rather be anything else than deal with the situation she is faced with. Ida tells her distressed mother that she is not marrying Ludlow and will not go to his room. Mrs. Chanders assures Ida that she will become accustomed to her marriage soon and adds that her marriage was the best thing that happened to her. Ida retorts that she married a great man, so such a claim is easy to say. Mrs. Chanders assures Ida that God guided Mr. Ludlow to their house seven years ago for this great plan of marriage to unravel.   The women reflect on how they used to joke about Mr. Ludlow when he first stayed at the house. Ida questions if her mother would have married Mr. Ludlow if she was in Ida's place. Mrs. Chanders laughs and dismisses Ida's question as silly. They hear Mr. Ludlow leave his room upstairs to go to the bathroom. Mrs. Chanders presses Ida to go to his room soon since it is getting late. Ida excitingly plans for her and her mother to go shopping, watch a movie, and eat a fancy meal the following day with the newly acquired money. Giggling in excitement, they hear Mr. Ludlow leave the bathroom and walk back to his room.