o the
rugs, so that one's shoes were lit, but faces hardly recognizable. Low
voices mingled in a bewildering complication throughout the corridor.
There was a sliding ladder with carpeted steps, which could be pushed
noiselessly along one wall. An arrangement like it is used in libraries
to reach the upper shelves. The Glow-worm was trembling, and squeezed
my hand repeatedly to insure silence, and slid the ladder along nearly
to the end. I could hear her quick, frightened breathing. The thing was
locked by some unseen turn of the Senora's finger, and I was directed
to climb. Up three steps, and I saw light through the wall on the level
of my eyes. Closer, it appeared that only a dark gauze almost
transparent hung between me and another room. The gauze covered a slit
plenty large enough to look through.

"Senor Rey and the handsome man were facing each other in a dull green
room. The latter's back was toward me, and a table was between them,
but they were not at cards. The young man's profile was half-turned so
I could see, and he moved restlessly in his chair. He lit a cigarette
as I stood there, and the Senor observed that it was sad to be old. You
could hear their words, as clearly as you hear mine. The Framtree
gentleman laughed softly. He has a manner, I confess. He declared that
he didn't believe there was ever a time when the Senor could have
solved the problem at hand.

"The Glow-worm was pulling at my skirts to come down, but I listened a
moment longer. The Senor said he must have done Dictator Jaffier an
injustice all these years in considering him the stupidest of men. The
other replied that 'four nights more' would tell the story; that it was
irksome to wait even that long. I had to leave, for the Senora was
becoming frenzied, but I caught one more remark from Senor Rey, as
mysterious as the rest. '_But he'll be gone before that_,' he said."

"What an astonishing bit of work!" Bedient exclaimed.

"We reached the quarters from which we came--the orange lamplight
room--in safety, but the Glow-worm's face was livid with fear. I
suppose mine was, too. She said the whole house was so arranged.... I
told her they were not playing cards, and something of what I had
heard. The Glow-worm was sure they were talking about 'a young man,
known to be one of the mainstays of the government,' who had come to
stay at _The Pleiad_--for some incomprehensible reason. Evidently, she
has not seen you.... What do you suppose Re