night. Look at the wainscot of the room! It is old--hundreds of years
old! Do you think there's no rats and beetles there! And do you imagine,
sir, that you won't see none of them? Rats is bogies, I tell you, and
bogies is rats; and don't you get to think anything else!'

'Mrs. Dempster,' said Malcolmson gravely, making her a polite bow, 'you
know more than a Senior Wrangler! And let me say, that, as a mark of
esteem for your indubitable soundness of head and heart, I shall, when I
go, give you possession of this house, and let you stay here by yourself
for the last two months of my tenancy, for four weeks will serve my
purpose.'

'Thank you kindly, sir!' she answered, 'but I couldn't sleep away from
home a night. I am in Greenhow's Charity, and if I slept a night away
from my rooms I should lose all I have got to live on. The rules is very
strict; and there's too many watching for a vacancy for me to run any
risks in the matter. Only for that, sir, I'd gladly come here and attend
on you altogether during your stay.'

'My good woman,' said Malcolmson hastily, 'I have come here on purpose
to obtain solitude; and believe me that I am grateful to the late
Greenhow for having so organised his admirable charity--whatever it
is--that I am perforce denied the opportunity of suffering from such a
form of temptation! Saint Anthony himself could not be more rigid on the
point!'

The old woman laughed harshly. 'Ah, you young gentlemen,' she said, 'you
don't fear for naught; and belike you'll get all the solitude you want
here.' She set to work with her cleaning; and by nightfall, when
Malcolmson returned from his walk--he always had one of his books to