“You know dere ain’t nobody sleeps up here in dis garret ’sides you.” “Is there not? But it is of no consequence.” “Now, you better let me stay up here long o’ you, Miss Em. ’Deed you had.” “Oh, thank you, but it is not necessary that you should. Besides, what would Mrs. Bruce say to your changing your sleeping place?” “Oh, she! Lor’ bless you, Miss Em., ole Marse Commodo’ _he’s_ marster and mist’ess, too, in dis house, and he ax me to-day, he say, ‘Lizer, where dey put dat young girl to sleep?’ I say, ‘Up in the garret.’ He say, ‘I thought so. Now you sleep on a pallet in her room if she is afraid to stay by herself, you hear?’ I say, ‘Yas, marster.’ And so, Miss Em., I come up faithful to offer my services.” “You are very kind. And so is your dear old master. He shows very great consideration for me. But, as I said before, I do not need you, Liza. By the way, where do you generally sleep?” “Oh! out’n de house in a room ober de stables, which dere are six rooms dere, where de servants sleep, ’cept de cook and de two kitchen-maids. Dey sleep in a room ober de kitchen.” “Very well, then, Liza, perhaps as it is late, you had better go now. Shall I come downstairs and lock the door after you?” “Oh, lor’, no, Miss! I locks de door and takes de key ebery night myself, so as to let myself in in de morning to wait on de ladies! But it ain’t so awful late, after all, Miss Em. It ain’t no more an’ a quarter arter ten o’clock, so wouldn’t you like to go through de other rooms in this garret and look at ’em? ’Sides which, it would be good to ’xamine, and be sure as dere ain’t no robbers nor nuffin’ hid away in dese rooms, and you up here by yourself,” persisted Liza. “Why, what a wise little woman you are! I’m not afraid of ‘robbers nor nuffin’,’” said Em., smiling; “but I have ‘a cat-like love of garrets,’ and so we will look at these other rooms, Liza. You take one candle ond I will take another, so we will have light enough.” CHAPTER XI HIDDEN LOVE They seem to those who see them meet, The worldly friends of every day; Her smile is still serene and sweet, His courtesy is free and gay; Yet if by one the other’s name Should in some careless hour be heard, The heart we thought so calm and tame Would struggle like a captive bird. MONCTON MILES. The colored girl did as she was directed, and led the way to the hall. “We calls de hall Canady, ’cause it’s so big and cold,” said Liza, holding up her candle that Em. might view it. There was nothing at all to be seen in it, except bare floor and bare walls, the head of the stairs, at one end, a large front window at the other, and two doors on each side leading into the four rooms. These rooms were not connected with each other, but opened only on the hall.