in which the woman lay, a stifling odor
of roses was clearly perceptible. The whole place was tropically hot.
Not a sound, save the creaking of the shelf beneath him, broke the heavy
stillness.

XXXIX

THE LABYRINTH

Feverishly, Max clutched at the last three books upon the shelf
adjoining the gap. Of these, the center volume, a work bound in yellow
calf and bearing no title, proved to be irremovable; right and left it
could be inclined, but not moved outward. It masked the lever handle of
the door!

But that door was locked.

Max, with upraised arms, swept the perspiration from his brows and eyes;
he leant dizzily up against the door which defied him; his mind was
working with febrile rapidity. He placed the pistol in his pocket,
and, recrossing the room, mounted up again upon the shelves, and crept
through into the apartment beyond, from which the yellow hand had
protruded. He dropped, panting, upon the bed, then, eagerly leaping to
the door, grasped the handle.

"Pardieu!" he muttered, "it is unlocked!"

Though the light was still burning in this room, the corridor outside
was in darkness. He pressed the button of the ingenious lamp which was
also a watch, and made for the door communicating with the cave of the
dragon. It was readily to be detected by reason of its visible handle;
the other doors being externally indistinguishable from the rest of the
matting-covered wall.

The cave of the dragon proved to be empty, and in darkness. He ran
across its polished floor and opened at random the door immediately
facing him. A corridor similar to the one which he had just quitted
was revealed. Another door was visible at one end, and to this he ran,
pulled it open, stepped through the opening, and found himself back in
the cave of the dragon!

"Morbleu!" he muttered, "it is bewildering--this!"

Yet another door, this time one of ebony, he opened; and yet another
matting-lined corridor presented itself to his gaze. He swept it with
the ray of the little lamp, detected a door, opened it, and entered a
similar suite to those with which he already was familiar. It was empty,
but, unlike the one which he himself had tenanted, this suite possessed
two doors, the second opening out of the bathroom. To this he ran; it
was unlocked; he opened it, stepped ahead... and was back again in the
cave of the dragon.

"Mon dieu!" he cried, "this is Chinese--quite Chinese!"

He stood looking about him, flashing the r