Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: " I 'm sure we shall," answered Richard, sincerely. She preceded him up the narrow, frowsy staircase, which was full of surprising turns. " You 'll find these stairs a bit awkward at first," she apologised. " I Ve often thought of getting a bit of nice carpet on them, but what's the use? It would be done for in a week. Now, here 's your room, sir, first floor front, with two nice French windows, you see, and a nice balcony. Now, about tidying it of a morning, sir. If you 'll step out for a walk as soon as you get up, my daughter shall make the bed, and dust, and you 'll come in and find it all nice and straight for breakfast." " Very well," assented Richard. " That's how I generally arrange with my young men. I like them to have their breakfast in a nice tidy room, you see, sir. Now, what will you have for tea, sir? A little nice bread and butter . . ." When she was gone Richard formally surveyed his quarters: a long, rather low room, its length cut by the two windows which were Mrs. Rowbotham's particular pride; between the windows a table with a faded green cloth, and a small bed opposite; behind the door an artfully concealed washstand; the mantelpiece, painted mustard yellow, bore divers squat earthenware figures, and was surmounted by an oblong mirror framed in rosewood; over the mirror anilluminated text, " Trust in Jesus," and over the text an oleograph, in collision with the ceiling, entitled, " After the Battle of Culloden." The walls were 'decorated with a pattern of giant pink roses; and here and there, hiding the roses, were hung photographs of persons in their Sunday clothes, and landscapes hand-painted in oil, depicting bridges, trees, water, and white sails in the distance. But the furnishing of the room caused Richard no uneasiness; in a few moments ...