"Sorry, sir," said the man, suppressing an exclamation of pain--for
the fault had been Gray's.

Gray muttered an ungenerous acknowledgment, all anxiety to regain the
side of Mrs. Irvin; for she seemed to be speaking rapidly and
excitedly to Sir Lucien.

He recovered his place as the two turned in at a lighted doorway. Upon
the wall was a bronze plate bearing the inscription:

KAZMAH
Second Floor

Gray fully expected Mrs. Irvin to suggest that he should return later.
But without a word she began to ascend the stairs. Gray followed, Sir
Lucien standing aside to give him precedence. On the second floor was
a door painted in Oriental fashion. It possessed neither bell nor
knocker, but as one stepped upon the threshold this door opened
noiselessly as if dumbly inviting the visitor to enter the square
apartment discovered. This apartment was richly furnished in the Arab
manner, and lighted by a fine brass lamp swung upon chains from the
painted ceiling. The intricate perforations of the lamp were inset
with colored glass, and the result was a subdued and warm
illumination. Odd-looking oriental vessels, long-necked jars, jugs
with tenuous spouts and squat bowls possessing engraved and figured
covers emerged from the shadows of niches. A low divan with gaily
colored mattresses extended from the door around one corner of the
room where it terminated beside a kind of mushrabiyeh cabinet or
cupboard. Beyond this cabinet was a long, low counter laden with