d the curtain; now it was rent as the Temple veil and his
eyes were dazzled. The Gate of Tophet had opened and Something had crept
out upon the world; it was for him to cast It back into the Pit!

He seemed to grow physically cold. Again the lightning blazed; and Paul,
starting as one rudely awakened from sleep, saw that a man was standing
close beside him.

X

That inclination to the marvellous which belongs to creative
temperaments led Paul to invest the stranger with the attributes of an
apparition; he seemed to be a materialisation of the darkness which
cloaked the modern world, a menace and a challenge; to stand for
Lucifer. He was a man above average height, having a vast depth of chest
and weight of limb, a strong, massive man. His suit of blue serge
displayed his statuesque proportions to full advantage, and Paul's
all-embracing glance did not fail to take note of the delicacy of hand
and foot which redeemed the great frame from any suggestion of
grossness. The stranger's head was bare, for he held in one gloved hand
a hard black felt hat, flat topped and narrow of brim; and his small
head, with close tight curls, set upon a neck like that of a gladiator,
was markedly Neronian. The hue of this virile curling hair was a most
uncompromising and fiery red, and equally red were the short moustaches
and close-cut curling beard. It was a remarkable head, the head of a
pagan emperor, rendered even more statuesque by an unusual ivory pallid
skin and by large and somewhat prominent eyes of limpid golden brown.

He was staring at Paul, as Paul was staring at him; and, out of the
darkness which instantly fell again, as the booming of thunder went
rolling, demoniac, along the valleys, he spoke. His voice was rich and
cultured.

"I fear I startled you--and you certainly startled me. I did not observe
your approach."

Paul laughed. "Nor I yours. But I believe I was preoccupied, for I
failed to notice the gathering storm until the rain attracted my
attention."

"I can guess at the nature of your preoccupation," continued the deep
voice. "Unless the illustrated press has deceived me I have the pleasure
of sharing this shelter with Mr. Paul Mario."

"That is my name. May I ask if you are one of my neighbours?"

"I am called Jules Thessaly, and I have made Babylon Hall locally
unpopular for some time past."

"A stormy meeting but none the less a welcome one, Mr. Thessaly. We
have several mutual friends. Captain Cou