He opened a door on the right hand of the hall, and immediately opposite Monck’s door, and led them into a large, square room, with a low ceiling and bare walls, windows and floor.
It was poorly furnished with a camp bedstead, a pine table, and half a dozen three-legged stools, all of which seemed to be the workmanship of an amateur carpenter, and with an old mahogany beaufet, a worm-eaten walnut wash-stand and a dilapidated arm-chair that appeared to be a part of the original furniture of the farm-house, left behind by the owners as too worthless to carry away.
The huge fireplace contained nothing but charcoal and ashes; the fire had gone out hours before.
“Bring some kindling wood here quickly, Ellis, and if there is none handy, take one of the back shutters off the hinges, and split it up. We must have a fire here directly. This place is as damp and musty as a vault. And here! Tell Thomas we want supper immediately,” were the orders issued by Captain Bannister to his orderly, as they all entered the dreary room.
“Sit down, Colonel Rosenthal,” he continued, pushing a dilapidated arm-chair towards his prisoner guest. “And boys, you needn’t stand on my account. Find stools and seat yourselves,” he added, addressing Wing and Hay.
He himself stood with his back leaning against the fireless chimney.
Very soon the man called Ellis entered with his arms full of kindling wood, that seemed to be the fragments of a broken up green door or shutter.
A fire was soon lighted, and its cheerful blaze illumined the whole room.
“Now supper as soon as possible, Ellis,” said the captain, as he stood and spread his hands before the flame.
“Thomas is getting it ready as fast as he can, sir,” answered the man.