and the floor was mossy.

"It's rather like an Egyptian tomb," said Stewart, and he shivered. The
hall led into a further room, which was open in the centre to the sky,
like the _impluvium_ of a Roman house. It also contained a square basin
of water, which was filled by water bubbling from a lion's mouth carved
in stone. Beyond the _impluvium_ there were two smaller rooms, in one
of which there was a kind of raised stone platform. The house was
completely deserted and empty. Lewis and Stewart said little; they
examined the house in silent amazement.

"Look," said Lewis, pointing to one of the walls. Stewart examined
the wall and noticed that there were traces on it of a faded painted
decoration.

"It's like the wall paintings at Pompeii," he said.

"I think the house is modern," remarked Lewis. "It was probably built by
some eccentric at the beginning of the nineteenth century, who did it up
in Empire style."

"Do you know what time it is?" said Stewart, suddenly. "The sun has set
and it's growing dark."

"We must go at once," said Lewis, "we'll come back here to-morrow." They
walked on in silence. The wood was dim in the twilight, a fitful breeze
made the trees rustle now and again, but the air was just as sultry as
ever. The shapes of the trees seemed fantastic and almost threatening in
the dimness, and the rustle of the leaves was like a human moan. Once or
twice they seemed to hear the grunting of pigs in the undergrowth and to
catch sight of bristly backs.

"We don't seem to be getting any nearer the end," said Stewart after
a time. "I think we've taken the wrong path." They stopped. "I remember
that tree," said Stewart, pointing to a twisted oak; "we must go
straight on from there to the left." They walked on and in ten minutes'
time found themselves once more at the back of the house. It was now
quite dark.

"We shall never find the way now," said Lewis. "We had better sleep in
the house." They walked through the house into one of the furthest rooms
and settled themselves on the mossy platform. The night was warm and
starry, the house deathly still except for the splashing of the water in
the basin.

"We shan't get any food," Lewis said.

"I'm not hungry," said Stewart, and Lewis knew that he could not have
eaten anything to save his life. He felt utterly exhausted and yet not
at all sleepy. Stewart, on the other hand, was overcome with drowsiness.
He lay down on the mossy platform and fell asleep a