ftly nearer I could see that the light
from within was beating through at several points, and that the whole
cottage was in the most crazy state of disrepair. For a moment I
paused, thinking that even the salt-marsh might perhaps be a safer
resting-place for the night than the headquarters of some desperate
smuggler, for such I conjectured that this lonely dwelling must be.
The scud, however, had covered the moon once more, and the darkness was
so pitchy black that I felt that I might reconnoitre a little more
closely without fear of discovery. Walking on tiptoe I approached the
little window and looked in.

What I saw reassured me vastly. A small wood fire was crackling in one
of those old-fashioned country grates, and beside it was seated a
strikingly handsome young man, who was reading earnestly out of a fat
little book. He had an oval, olive-tinted face, with long black hair,
ungathered in a queue, and there was something of the poet or of the
artist in his whole appearance. The sight of that refined face, and of
the warm yellow firelight which beat upon it, was a very cheering one to
a cold and famished traveller. I stood for an instant gazing at him,
and noticing the way in which his full and somewhat loose-fitting lower
lip quivered continually, as if he were repeating to himself that which
he was reading. I was still looking at him when he put his book down
upon the table and approached the window. Catching a glimpse of my
figure in the darkness he called out something which I could not hear,
and waved his hand in a gesture of welcome. An instant later the door
flew open, and there was his thin tall figure standing upon the
threshold, with his skirts flapping in the wind.

'My dear friends,' he cried, peering out into the gloom with his hand
over his eyes to screen them from the salt-laden wind and driving sand,
'I had given you up. I thought that you were never coming. I've been
waiting for two hours.'

For answer I stepped out in front of him, so that the light fell upon my
face.

'I am afraid, sir--' said I.

But I had no time to finish my sentence. He struck at me with both
hands like an angry cat, and, springing back into the room, he slammed
the door with a crash in my face.

The swiftness of his movements and the malignity of his gesture were in
such singular contrast with his appearance that I was struck speechless
with surprise. But as I stood there with the door in front of me I was