I can switch it on if I want it.' "The night watchman at the English Provident Bank has permission to smoke, he also is allowed a nice fire, and a tray consisting of a plate of substantial sandwiches and one glass of ale, which he can take when he likes.

James Fairbairn settled himself in front of the fire, lit his pipe, took out his newspaper, and began to read.

He thought he had heard the street door open and shut at about a quarter to ten; he supposed that it was Mr.Ireland going out to his club, but at ten minutes to ten o'clock the watchman heard the door of the manager's room open, and some one enter, immediately closing the glass partition door and turning the key.
"He naturally concluded it was Mr.Ireland himself.
"From where he sat he could not see into the room, but he noticed that the electric light had not been switched on, and that the manager seemingly had no light but an occasional match.
"'For the minute,' continued James Fairbairn, 'a thought did just cross my mind that something might perhaps be wrong, and I put my newspaper aside and went to the other end of the room towards the glass partition.
The manager's room was still quite dark, and I could not clearly see into it, but the door into the hall was open, and there was, of course, a light through there.

I had got quite close to the partition, when I saw Mrs.Ireland standing in the doorway, and heard her saying in a very astonished tone of voice: 'Why, Lewis, I thought you had gone to your club ages ago.

What in the world are you doing here in the dark ?' "'Lewis is Mr.Ireland's Christian name,' was James Fairbairn's further statement.