forward, with her hands wrung together. For the love of Heaven! she
whispered, get away from here before it is too late!
But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready to engage
in an affair when there is some obstacle in the way. I thought of my
fifty-guinea fee, of my wearisome journey, and of the unpleasant night
which seemed to be before me. Was it all to go for nothing? Why should
I slink away without having carried out my commission, and without the
payment which was my due? This woman might, for all I knew, be a
monomaniac. With a stout bearing, therefore, though her manner had
shaken me more than I cared to confess, I still shook my head and
declared my intention of remaining where I was. She was about to renew
her entreaties when a door slammed overhead, and the sound of several
footsteps was heard upon the stairs. She listened for an instant, threw
up her hands with a despairing gesture, and vanished as suddenly and as
noiselessly as she had come.
The newcomers were Colonel Lysander Stark and a short thick man with a
chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double chin, who was
introduced to me as Mr. Ferguson.
This is my secretary and manager, said the colonel. By the way, I
was under the impression that I left this door shut just now. I fear
that you have felt the draught.
On the contrary, said I, I opened the door myself because I felt
the room to be a little close.
He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. Perhaps we had better
proceed to business, then, said he. Mr. Ferguson and I will take you
up to see the machine.
I had better put my hat on, I suppose.
Oh, no, it is in the house.
What, you dig fuller s-earth in the house?
No, no. This is only where we compress it. But never mind that. All
we wish you to do is to examine the machine and to let us know what is
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