see
screening the halls of suburban houses, made up of brightly coloured
beads or lengths of bamboo. In this case it was made by suspending
thousands of steel beads upon fine wire strings from a rod above the
door. It gave the impression that the entrance itself was of steel, but
when in answer to his summons the door was opened, the _chick_ looped
itself up on either side in the manner of a stage curtain, and it seemed
to work automatically on the opening of the door.

There stood in the entrance a tall man, with a broad white face and
expressionless eyes. He was dressed soberly in black, and had the
restrained and deferential attitude of the superior man-servant.

"I am Mr. Smith, of Scotland Yard," said T. B. briefly, "and I wish to
see Mr. Moole."

The man in black looked dubious.

"Will you come in?" he asked, and T. B. was shown into a large
comfortably furnished sitting-room.

"I am afraid you can't see Mr. Moole," said the man, as he closed the
door behind him; "he is, as you probably know, a partial invalid, but if
there is anything I can do----"

"You can take me to Mr. Moole," said T. B. with a smile; "short of
that--nothing."

The man hesitated.

"If you insist," he began.

The detective nodded.

"I am his secretary and his doctor--Doctor Fall," the other introduced
himself, "and it may mean trouble for me--perhaps you will tell me your
business?"

"My business is with Mr. Moole."

The doctor bowed.

"Come this way," he said, and he led the detective across the broad
hall. He opened a plain door, and disclosed a small lift, standing aside
for the other to enter.

"After you," said T. B. politely.

Dr. Fall smiled and entered, and T. B. Smith followed.

The lift shot swiftly upward and came to a rest at the third floor.

It was not unlike an hotel, thought T. B., in the general arrangement of
the place.

Two carpeted corridors ran left and right, and the wall before him was
punctured with doorways at regular intervals. His guide led him to the
left, to the end of the passage, and opened the big rosewood door which
faced him. Inside was another door. This he opened, and entered a big
apartment and T. B. followed. The room contained scarcely any furniture.
The panelling on the walls was of polished myrtle; a square of deep blue
carpet of heavy pile was set exactly in the centre, and upon this stood
a silver bedstead. But it was not the furnishing or the rich little gilt
table by the b