"We get out here," said one of the men who sat with us.

I alighted. On each side of me somebody put his hand to my
shoulder. I could see the glow of a lantern-light close to my
face. I knew there was a crowd of men around, but I could hear
nothing save now and then a whisper.

"Wall, Ray," said D'ri, who stood by my side, "hol' stiddy 'n'
don't be scairt."

"Do as they tell ye," a stranger whispered in my ear. "No matter
what 't is, do as they tell ye."

They led us into a long passage and up a steep flight of wooden
stairs. I have learned since then it was a building equipped by a
well-known secret society for its initiations.[1] We went on
through a narrow hall and up a winding night that seemed to me
interminable. Above it, as we stopped, the man who was leading me
rapped thrice upon a rattling wooden door. It broke the silence
with a loud echoing noise. I could hear then the sliding of a
panel and a faint whispering and the sound of many feet ascending
the stairs below. The door swung open presently, and we were led
in where I could see no sign of any light. They took me alone
across a wide bare floor, where they set me down upon some sort of
platform and left me, as I thought. Then I could hear the
whispered challenge at the door and one after another entering and
crossing the bare floor on tiptoe. Hundreds were coming in, it
seemed to me. Suddenly a deep silence fell in that dark place of
evil. The blindfold went whisking off my head as if a ghostly hand
had taken it. But all around me was the darkness of the pit. I