Page:O'Higgins--The Adventures of Detective Barney.djvu/306

 arrangement for isolating a servant from the family privacies in a small house, but it did not appeal to Barney. He had counted on being able, from the upper hall, to spy on whatever was being done below stairs.

The room was bare and clean, with no furniture but an iron cot, a kitchen chair, a sort of camp wash-stand, and a little dresser. “I ’m afraid we have n’t any night clothes that will fit you,” she said, putting down the candle.

Barney replied ungraciously: “I ’d be asleep ’fore I could get into ’em anyway.” He did not wish to encourage her in any solicitude concerning him; it might prove embarrassing if she came back to see that he was sleeping comfortably. He sat down on the side of the bed and began to unlace his shoes.

She accepted her dismissal. “Good-night,” she said. “We have breakfast about seven. I ’ll call you.”

He mumbled “G ’night.” He dropped his shoe heavily on the floor as she descended; and though she closed the door at the foot of the