eddyingly, and passed aside out of the uprush from the fan. A gleam of
light flickered, the specks flashed white, and then the darkness came
again. Warmed and lit as he was, he perceived that it was snowing within
a few feet of him.

Graham walked across the room and came back to the ventilator again. He
saw the head of a man pass near. There was a sound of whispering. Then a
smart blow on some metallic substance, effort, voices, and the vanes
stopped. A gust of snowflakes whirled into the room, and vanished before
they touched the floor. "Don't be afraid," said a voice.

Graham stood under the vane. "Who are you?" he whispered.

For a moment there was nothing but a swaying of the fan, and then the
head of a man was thrust cautiously into the opening. His face
appeared nearly inverted to Graham; his dark hair was wet with
dissolving flakes of snow upon it. His arm went up into the darkness
holding something unseen. He had a youthful face and bright eyes, and
the veins of his forehead were swollen. He seemed to be exerting
himself to maintain his position.

For several seconds neither he nor Graham spoke.

"You were the Sleeper?" said the stranger at last.

"Yes," said Graham. "What do you want with me?"

"I come from Ostrog, Sire."

"Ostrog?"