he staircase and leave me. I'll find my way without you.'

"'But--sir--indeed--'

"This time I lost patience, and pushing him aside, went into the house.

"I first went through the kitchen, then two rooms occupied by this
man and his wife. I then crossed a large hall, mounted a staircase and
recognized the door described by my friend.

"I easily opened it, and entered the apartment. It was so dark that
at first I could distinguish nothing. I stopped short, disagreeably
affected by that disagreeable, musty odor of closed, unoccupied rooms.
As my eyes slowly became accustomed to the darkness I saw plainly
enough a large and disordered bedroom, the bed without sheets but
still retaining its mattresses and pillows, on one of which was a deep
impression, as though an elbow or a head had recently rested there.

"The chairs all seemed out of place. I noticed that a door, doubtless
that of a closet, had remained half open.

"I first went to the window, which I opened to let in the light, but
the fastenings of the shutters had grown so rusty that I could not move
them. I even tried to break them with my sword, but without success. As
I was growing irritated over my useless efforts and could now see fairly
well in the semi-darkness, I gave up the hope of getting more light, and
went over to the writing desk.

"I seated myself in an armchair and, letting down the lid of the desk, I
opened the drawer designated. It was full to the top. I needed but three
packages, which I knew how to recognize, and began searching for them.

"I was straining my eyes in the effort to read the superscriptions when
I seemed to hear, or, rather, feel, something rustle back of me. I paid
no attention, believing that a draught from the window was moving some
drapery. But in a minute or so another movement, almost imperceptible,
sent a strangely disagreeable little shiver over my skin. It was so
stupid to be affected, even slightly, that self-respect prevented my
turning around. I had just found the second package I needed and was
about to lay my hand on the third when a long and painful sigh, uttered
just at my shoulder, made me bound like a madman from my seat and land
several feet off. As I jumped I had turned round my hand on the hilt
of my sword, and, truly, if I had not felt it at my side I should have
taken to my heels like a coward.

"A tall woman dressed in white, stood gazing at me from the back of the
chair where I had been sitting an