t but one thing. He was invited to go into
that room--_alone_. If he had had a doubt it was dispelled by the fact
that Father Roland had left a light burning in there. It was not chance.
There was a purpose to it all: the light, the audible dropping of the
heavy key, the swift going of the Missioner. David made himself sure of
this before he rose from his chair. He waited perhaps five minutes. Then
he picked up the key.

At the door, as the key clicked in the lock, he hesitated. The thought
came to him that if he was making a mistake it would be a terrible
mistake. It held his hand for a moment. Then, slowly, he pushed the door
inward and followed it until he stood inside. The first thing that he
noticed was a big brass lamp, of the old style, brought over from
England by the Company a hundred years ago, and he held his breath in
anticipation of something tremendous impending. At first he saw nothing
that impressed him forcibly. The room was a disappointment in that
first glance. He could see nothing of its mystery, nothing of that
strangeness, quite indefinable even to himself, which he had expected.
And then, as he stood there staring about with wide-open eyes, the truth
flashed upon him with a suddenness that drew a quick breath from his
lips. He was standing in a _woman's room_! There was no doubt.

It looked very much as though a woman had left it only recently. There
was a bed, fresh and clean, with a white counterpane. She had left on
that bed a--nightgown; yes, and he noticed that it had a frill of lace
at the neck. And on the wall were her garments, quite a number of them,
and a long coat of a curious style, with a great fur collar. There was a
small dresser, oddly antique, and on it were a brush and comb, a big red
pin cushion, and odds and ends of a woman's toilet affairs. Close to the
bed were a pair of shoes and a pair of slippers, with unusually high
heels, and hanging over the edge of the counterpane was a pair of long
stockings. The walls of the room were touched up, as if by a woman's
hands, with pictures and a few ornaments. Where the garments were
hanging David noticed a pair of woman's snow shoes, and a woman's
moccasins under a picture of the Madonna. On the mantel there was a tall
vase filled with the dried stems of flowers. And then came the most
amazing discovery of all. There was a second table between the lamp and
the bed, and it was set for two! Yes, for _two_! No, for _three_! For, a
little