and pervaded by the
soft glow of electric light, here all was dust and mouldering knowledge,
the entrance suggesting that the rest of the house must be the same.

"Pray come in," said the old man, after closing the door; and he led the
way into what had been intended for a large dining-room, but had been
turned by its occupant into a library, packed with books from floor to
ceiling; piles were upon the tables and chairs, and heaps here and there
upon the dusty old Turkey carpet.

"Directory--Directory," said the old man, looking slowly round. "Books,
books, books, but not the one we want."

"You seem to have a large and valuable library," Chester ventured to
observe.

"Eh? Yes, I suppose so. The work of a long life, sir. But very dusty
all over the house. What did you say was the name of the people you
wanted?"

"I--that is," stammered Chester, confusedly, "I do not know their name.
Some patients whom I want to find out."

"Are you a doctor, sir?" said the old man, looking at his visitor with a
benevolent smile. "Grand profession. I should have liked to have been
a doctor. But is not that a very vague description? Names are so
useful for distinguishing one person, place, or thing, from another.
But it was in this street, you say?"

"Well--er--no, I am not sure," said Chester, hurriedly.

"Dear me! that is rather perplexing," said the old man, taking off his
spectacles and beginning to wipe them upon the tail of his
dressing-gown. "But," he added, as if relieved, "the Directory would be
of no use if you do not know the name."

"None whatever," said Chester, who was smarting with the thought that
this pleasant old gentleman must take him for a lunatic. "Pray forgive
me for troubling you in this unceremonious way."

"Oh, not at all, my dear sir, not at all. I have so few visitors,
though," he added, "as you see I am surrounded by old friends."

"The same style of house--the same sort of hall," thought Chester, as he
went out after a few more words had been exchanged. "Could it have been
in this street?"

He looked up sharply at a heavy-faced butler and a tall, smart,
powdered-headed footman, who were standing at the door of the next
house, doing nothing, with the air of two men whose employers were out.

Chester looked eagerly at them and passed by, but the door was nearly
closed, and he could not see inside.

His sharp look was returned with interest, the two men evidently
expecting him to c