ven without seeing him except as a
shadow--that she would find herself wishing to do whatever he might ask.
It must be, she thought, the influence of his voice. She had heard Paul
Van Vreck spoken of as an old man, but the voice was the voice of
magnetic youth.

He opened the door of the living room, and, carrying his bundle,
followed her as she entered. There was only one lamp in this room, a tall
reading-lamp with a green silk shade, which stood on a table, its heavy
base surrounded by books and magazines. A good light for reading was
thrown from under the green shade on to the table, but the rest of the
room was of a cool, green dimness; and, looking up with irresistible
curiosity at the face of her night visitor, it floated pale on a vague
background, like a portrait by Whistler.

It was unnaturally white, the girl thought, and--yes, it _was_ old! But
it was a wonderful face, and the eyes illumined it; immense eyes, though
deepset and looking out of shadowed hollows under level brows black as
ink. Annesley had never seen eyes so like strange jewels, lit from
behind.

That simile came to her, and she smiled, for it was appropriate that this
jewel expert should have jewels for eyes. They were dark topazes, and
from them gazed the spirit of the man with a compelling charm.

Under a rolled-back wave of iron-gray hair he had a broad forehead, high
cheekbones, a pointed prominent chin, a mouth both sweet and humorous,
like that of some enchanting woman; but its sweetness was contradicted by
a hawk nose. Had it not been for that nose he would have been handsome.

"I guessed by the startled tone of your voice, when you asked, 'Who is
there?' that your husband was out," explained the shadow, now transformed
by the light into an extremely tall, extremely thin man in gray
travelling clothes. "I had a moment of repentance at troubling a lady
alone; but, you see, the case was urgent."

He had carelessly tossed his Panama hat on to the table, but kept the
black bag, which he now held out with a smile.

"Not a big bag, is it? And so common, it wouldn't be likely to tempt
a thief. But it holds what is worth--if it has a price--about half a
million dollars."

"Oh!" exclaimed Annesley. She looked horrified; and through the green
gloom the old man read her face.

"I see!" he said, with a laugh in his young voice. "You have heard the
great secret! That makes another who knows. But I'm not afraid you'll
throw me to the dogs.