He's downstairs now, in the small room
out of ours."
"Bob? Why, Red--"
"We'll have a door cut through. The telephones shall be in there, then
they won't disturb you. They won't bother Bob a minute. And when I come
in at 2 a.m. I can slip in here, shove the boy over against the wall, and
be asleep in two minutes."
"Red! All my preparations for the bachelor! The desk,--the reading-light
by the bed--"
"They suit me admirably. I never saw a better arrangement. The two rooms
together make a perfect suite--when the door is cut through."
"And where will you put our guests? There's only one more room on this
floor, of any size."
"Let's go and see."
Catching up a brass candlestick from the bachelor's desk, Burns lit it
and proceeded to explore, Ellen following. There were dancing lights in
her eyes as she watched him.
"Here's your fourth room," said he, throwing open a door at the back of
the hall.
"This box? It can't be made a really comfortable room, even if I do my
best with it. Your bachelor will not stay long."
"Best not make him too comfortable. Nobody wants him to stay long." And
Red Pepper closed the door again, with an air of having settled the
matter to his entire satisfaction. "Besides," he added, "if he's really a
desirable chap, and we want him around more than a day or two, he can
bunk in my old room downstairs.
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