broken, irregular stairs. And anyway, what do you think you can see up
there? It's misty and getting dark. No, have a heart."

"What difference is it to you where you take your airing? Come on. I
assure you you will see something unusual."

"Oh! you brought me here on purpose?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say so?"

He followed Des Hermies into the darkness under the porch. At the back
of the cellarway a little essence lamp, hanging from a nail, lighted a
door, the tower entrance.

For a long time, in utter darkness, they climbed a winding stair. Durtal
was wondering where the keeper had gone, when, turning a corner, he saw
a shaft of light, then he stumbled against the rickety supports of a
"double-current" lamp in front of a door. Des Hermies pulled a bell cord
and the door swung back.

Above them on a landing they could see feet, whether of a man or of a
woman they could not tell.

"Ah! it's you, M. des Hermies," and a woman bent over, describing an
arc, so that her head was in a stream of light. "Louis will be very glad
to see you."

"Is he in?" asked Des Hermies, reaching up and shaking hands with the