Every moment he thus wasted passed like a long hour to the impatient operative. The obstinacy of his companion was enough to provoke the ire of a more tranquil mind than he was the possessor of, and he nervously paced the floor of the small apartment, while his thoughts fairly burnt in his brain. Why was he ill? Why so weak that he could not thrust the miserable Carey out of his way, or gag and bind him with cords until he could fly to the telegraph office and send off that telegram? The idea of stunning him, as he slept, with a blow on the head from a club, even suggested itself, but was soon given up as too cruel for the situation. There were no means of getting out of the room, excepting through a window, and when he sought an exit in that way, Carey awoke once more and stared about him. “Are ye gettin’ luny agin, McKenna, that ye want to wait there by the windy, wid the cool air blowin’ on ye? You’ll have more of them chills! Sthand back!” This was a sensible order for the sick man to obey, and it would cause a suspicion of insanity to refuse, hence he resumed his walk. Later he turned to Carey and said: “I tell ye, agin, ye had best get to bed! If ye don’t, there’ll be one miner late at the shaft-house in the mornin’! Lave me to myself! I can’t slape, the night, wid the idea of the work that’s to be done restin’ on me conscience, so I’ll stay below, where it is comfortable for me! Why in thunder don’t you go to bed?” “Faix,” replied Carey, “an’ if the truth must be towld, I’m ordered by the docther never to lave ye until the mornin’. He says ye are touched in the head wid the faver an’ the medicin’, an’ more’s the token, I think he’s quite right, for wasn’t ye within an ace of throwin’ yerself out at the windy, only jist now? Oh, no! Mike Carey knows how to obey orders, an’ wont give ye a chance to make away wid yerself until ye have back yer own siven sinses.” “The divil take you, an’ the docther too! I’m just as sound and sane this blessed minute as you are—or he aither—an’ all I want is pace and quiet, an’ that ye same detarmined I sha’n’t have!” The detective, now completely angry, began to walk the room with rapid strides and gaze about him in the darkness, searching for some weapon with which to demolish his too careful guardian and nurse. Seeing this, Carey shut the door, locked it, put the key in his pocket, and, walking up to McKenna, took him gently by the arm, saying: “Come now, be aisy! Don’t look so fierce, but come wid me to your room an’ go straight to bed!”