rst. A clap of thunder spoke with the voice of a thousand cannon,
and I poled for bare life from that haunted backwater. I was drenched
to the skin when I got in, and I ran up all the way from the stage."

"Well?" rapped the other again, as Cairn paused to refill his pipe.

"It was seeing the firelight flickering at Ferrara's window that led
me to do it. I don't often call on him; but I thought that a rub down
before the fire and a glass of toddy would put me right. The storm had
abated as I got to the foot of his stair--only a distant rolling of
thunder.

"Then, out of the shadows--it was quite dark--into the flickering
light of the lamp came somebody all muffled up. I started horribly. It
was a girl, quite a pretty girl, too, but very pale, and with
over-bright eyes. She gave one quick glance up into my face, muttered
something, an apology, I think, and drew back again into her
hiding-place."

"He's been warned," growled Sime. "It will be notice to quit next
time."

"I ran upstairs and banged on Ferrara's door. He didn't open at first,
but shouted out to know who was knocking. When I told him, he let me
in, and closed the door very quickly. As I went in, a pungent cloud
met me--incense."

"Incense?"

"His rooms smelt like a joss-house; I told him so. He said he was
experimenting with _Kyphi_--the ancient Egyptian stuff used in the
temples. It was all dark and hot; phew! like a furnace. Ferrara's
rooms always were odd, but since the long vacation I hadn't been in.
Good lord, they're disgusting!"

"How? Ferrara spent vacation in Egypt; I suppose he's brought things
back?"

"Things--yes! Unholy things! But that brings me to something too. I
ought to know more about the chap than anybody; Sir Michael Ferrara
and the governor have been friends for thirty years; but my father is
oddly reticent--quite singularly reticent--regarding Antony. Anyway,
have you heard about him, in Egypt?"

"I've heard he got into trouble. For his age, he has a devil of a
queer reputation; there's no disguising it."

"What sort of trouble?"

"I've no idea. Nobody seems to know. But I heard from young Ashby that
Ferrara was asked to leave."

"There's some tale about Kitchener--"

"_By_ Kitchener, Ashby says; but I don't believe it."

"Well--Ferrara lighted a lamp, an elaborate silver thing, and I found
myself in a kind of nightmare museum. There was an unwrapped mummy
there, the mummy of a woman--I can't possibly describe it. H