There's a candle on the slab outside the door," said the man with the

withered hand, looking at my feet as he addressed me. "But if you go to

the Red Room to-night--"

This night of all nights!" said the old woman, softly.

--You go alone."

Very well," I answered, shortly, "and which way do I go?"

You go along the passage for a bit," said he, nodding his head on his

shoulder at the door, "until you come to a spiral staircase; and on the

second landing is a door covered with green baize. Go through that, and

down the long corridor to the end, and the Red Room is on your left up

the steps."

"Have I got that right?" I said, and repeated his directions.

He corrected me in one particular.

"And you are really going?" said the man with the shade, looking at me

again for the third time with that queer, unnatural tilting of the face.

This night of all nights!" whispered the old woman.

The Red Room