air was grateful.

He lay quite still and waited developments. They came from another
quarter: the corridor on which his apartment opened. Someone was there.

Then the knob of his door turned; he could not distinguish it in the
uncertain light, yet he knew it was turning by a peculiarly faint
screech--almost so faint as to be indistinguishable. One would not
notice it except at the dead of night.

The door hung a moment; then cautiously it swung back a little way, and
two men entered. The moon, though now low, was sufficient to light the
place faintly and to enable them to see and be seen.

For a brief interval they stood motionless. They came to life when
Harleston, reaching up, pushed the electric button.

"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" he asked, blinking into their
levelled revolvers.

They were medium-sized men and wore evening clothes; one was about
forty-five and rather inclined to stoutness, the other was under forty
and rather slender. They were not masked, and their faces, which were
strange to Harleston, were the faces of men of breeding, accustomed to
affairs.

"You startled us, Mr. Harleston," the elder replied; "and you blinded us
momentarily by the rush of light."

"It was thoughtless of me," Harleston returned. He waved his hand toward
the chairs. "Won't you be seated, messieurs--and pardon my not arising;
I'm hardly in receiving costume. May I ask whom I am entertaining."

"Certainly, sir," the elder smiled. "This is Mr. Sparrow; I am Mr.
Marston. We would not have you put yourself to the inconvenience, not to
mention the hazard from drafts. You're much more comfortable in bed--and
we can transact our business with you quite as well so; moreover if you
will give us your word to lie quiet and not call or shoot, we shall not
offer you the slightest violence."

"I'll do anything," Harleston smiled, "to be relieved of looking down
those unattractive muzzles. Ah! thank you!--The chairs, gentlemen!" with
a fine gesture of welcome.

"We haven't time to sit down, thank you," said Sparrow. "Time presses
and we must away as quickly as possible. We shall, we sincerely hope,
inconvenience you but a moment, Mr. Harleston."

"Pray take all the time you need," Harleston responded. "I've nothing to
do until nine o'clock--except to sleep; and sleep is a mere incidental
to me. I would much rather chat with visitors, especially those who pay
me such a delightfully early morning call."

"Do you know wh