works them?"

"I have only heard him muttering in his room again," she said, her
cheeks paling. "And--you will only laugh at me--I have seen queer
shadows hovering in his doorway and stealing down the passages,
shadows that have terrified me. I never knew what real fear was before
I came to Cockspur Street, and for the past few weeks I have been
almost too afraid to open my room door, for fear I should see
something standing outside."

"You have no doubt, I suppose, in your own mind, that the trio
practise sorcery?"

"I certainly think they are helped in all they do by evil spirits."

"Do you approve of such proceedings?"

"I don't think them right. I don't think we have any right to pry into
the Unknown. Some day, undoubtedly, it will be given us to know, but
until that day comes, we had far better leave it alone."

"If you think like that," Shiel said, "how can you reconcile yourself
to working for these people?"

"How can I help myself?" Lilian Rosenberg answered. "Beggars can't be
choosers. I am not responsible for what they do."

"But supposing you knew they were about to commit a very heinous
crime, wouldn't you feel it your duty to try and circumvent them?"

"That depends," Lilian Rosenberg said. "If I could stop them without
running any risk of losing my post, then I would probably try to stop
them, but if stopping them meant being 'sacked,' I most certainly
shouldn't. It isn't so easy to get posts nowadays--especially good
paying posts like this. What do you take me for, a fool!"

"Then you don't believe in self-sacrifice, even for a friend?" Shiel
said slowly.

"That depends on the degree of friendship," Lilian replied. "If it
were for some one I liked very much, then--perhaps!"

"Is there any one you like very much! I, somehow, couldn't fancy you
being very fond of any one."

"Couldn't you?" Lilian said, with a faint laugh. "You don't think me
capable of any deep affection. You forget, perhaps, that a woman
doesn't always wear her heart on her sleeve."

"I confess I don't understand women," Shiel said, "and I had best come
to the point at once. I happen to know that the trio--or at least one
of the trio--is contemplating doing something ultra-abominable--a
cruel and shameful wrong, which I particularly wish to prevent. But I
may not be able to do anything without your help! Will you help me?"

"How _can_ I?" Lilian asked.

"Why, by finding out something which might be damning evidence agai