ound to-morrow morning, or rather this morning, at nine,"
said Michael. "And I shall expect to find you ready to clear out of here
for good."

"You're very short with a fellow, aren't you?" said Barnes. "What do you
want to go away for? Why don't you stay so as you can see me off the
premises?"

Michael thought that he could observe underneath all the assurance a
sharp anxiety on Barnes' part not to be left alone.

"You can lay down and have a sleep in here. I'll get on into the
bedroom."

Michael consented to stay, and Barnes was obviously relieved. He put out
the gas and retired into the bedroom. The dawn was graying the room, and
the sun would be up in less than an hour. Early sparrows were beginning
to chirp. The woman who had burst out of the door and fled up the street
seemed now a chimera of the night. Half-dozing, Michael lay on the bed,
half dozing and faintly oppressed by the odor of patchouli coming from
the clothes heaped upon the chairs. St. George was visible already, and
even the outlines of The Knight in Armor were tremulously apparent.
Michael wondered why he did not feel a greater resentment at the
profanation of these rooms. And why did Barnes keep fidgeting on the
other side of the folding doors? The sparrows were cheeping more loudly:
the trains were more frequent. Michael woke from sleep with a start and
saw that Barnes was throwing the clothes from the chairs on the floor:
stirred up thus in this clear light the scent of patchouli was even more
noticeable. What on earth was Barnes doing? He was turning the whole
room upside-down.

"What the deuce are you looking for?" Michael yawned.

"That's all right, old man, you get on with your sleep. I'm just putting
my things together," Barnes told him.

Michael turned over and was beginning to doze again when Barnes woke him
by the noise he made in taking the dirty dishes out of the old grate.

"How on earth can I sleep, when you're continually fidgeting?" Michael
demanded fretfully. "What's the time?"

"Just gone half-past five."

Barnes paid no more attention to Michael's rest, but began more
feverishly than ever to rummage among all the things in the room.

Michael could not stand his activity any longer, and dry-mouthed from an
uncomfortable sleep, he sat up.

"What _are_ you looking for?"

"Well, if you want to know, I'm looking for a watch-bracelet."

"It's not likely to be under the carpet," said Michael severely.

Barnes was wren