The calmness and ease with which all this was carried on indicated long practice, and for precision no amount of drilling could have secured greater regularity. As the knife and fork fell upon the plate again there was a pause, for a pint decanter and glass were pushed opposite the thin white hands that now approached, and, removing the stopper, filled the glass. Then a cover was raised, and the tray glided onward once more, with some steaming asparagus on toast; and after a short pause the cold, colourless voice was heard to repeat a short grace, the tray was slowly withdrawn, the panel glided to, and Vidler and his little wife bore the remains of the luncheon to the lower regions. Hardly had the tray been set down before there was a double knock, and on going upstairs Vidler found John Huish at the front door. "Would Captain Millet give me an interview, Vidler?" he asked. The little man looked at him sidewise, then tried the other eye, and ended by standing out of the way and letting the visitor enter, shutting out the light again as carefully as before. "I'll try, sir," he said; "I don't think he will. I was just going to take up that," he continued, pointing to a basket of coloured scraps of print. "He's about to begin a new counterpane to-day." "A new what?" said Huish. "A new counterpane for the Home Charity. That'll be six he has made this year. I'll show you the last." He led Huish into the darkened dining-room, and showed him a wonderfully neat piece of needlework, a regular set pattern, composed of hundreds upon hundreds of tiny scraps of cotton print. "Makes 'em better than many women could, and almost in the dark," said the little man; "but I'll go up and see. Miss Millet and her sister have not been gone long." "What!" cried Huish, "from here?" "Gone nearly or quite an hour ago, sir. Been a good deal lately." "My usual fortune," muttered Huish excitedly. "But go up," he said aloud; "I particularly want to have a few words with him." "I don't think it's of any use, sir; but I'll see," repeated the little man; and he went upstairs, to return at the end of about five minutes to beckon the visitor up, and left him facing the panel. It was evident that the young man had been there before, as he took a seat, and waited patiently for the panel to unclose, which it did at last, but not until quite a quarter of an hour had passed. "Well, John Huish," said the voice, "what do you want?" It was rather a chilling reception for one who had come upon such a mission; but he was prepared for it, and dashed at once into the object of his visit, in spite of the peculiarity of having to address himself to a square opening in the wall. "I have come for advice and counsel," said Huish firmly. "You, a man of the world, living in the world, come to such an anchorite as I!" said the voice--"as I, who have for pretty well thirty years been dead to society and its ways?" "Yes," said Huish. "I come to you because you can help."