It yielded; had Dandy Joe left it unfastened purposely to lure him
within, or had his potations made him unmindful? The man outside neither
knew nor cared; the mocking consciousness that he had turned that knob
before, knew how to proceed, held him. He entered, felt his way in the
darkness through winding passages, downward, avoiding a bad step--did he
remember even that?

How paltry details stood out! The earthen floor still drowned the sound
of footsteps; the narrow hall took the same turns; led on and on in
devious fashion until he could hear, like the faint hum of bees, the
distant rumble from the great thoroughfares, somewhere above, that
paralleled the course of the river. At the same time a slant of light
like a sword, from the crack of a door, gleamed on the dark floor before
him; he stepped toward it; the low sound of men's tones could be
heard--Joe's; a strange voice! no, a familiar one!--that caused the
listener's every fiber to vibrate.

"And what did you say, when he pumped you for the cote?"

"That you would rather call on him."

"And then he cared nought for the job? You're sure"--anxiously--"he
wasn't playing to find out?"

The other answered jocosely and walked away; a door closed behind him.
For a time the stillness remained unbroken; then a low rattle, as of
dice on a table, caused John Steele to glance through a crevice. What he
saw seemed to decide him to act quickly; he lifted a latch and stepped
in. As he did so a huge man with red hair sprang to his feet; from one
great hand the dice fell to the floor; his shaggy jowl drooped. Casting