“You’ve been down there?” “Why, yes, once or twice.” “Lately?” His voice was rather low. “Yes, quite lately.” Ember gripped the door. “And how did you know—oh, I beg your pardon.” “Yes, I don’t think we need go into that.” She spoke gently but from a distance. As she spoke she passed him and went through the hall and up the stairs. The heavy tassels of her girdle knocked softly against each shallow step. Ember went on gripping the door until she came down again wrapped in a long black cloak. When he dropped his hand there was a red incised line across the palm. He saw that the cloak was smeared with green. How near to the edge they had been, how horribly near! He opened the door and lighted her down the steps in silence, and in silence walked as far as the laboratory turning. When he turned to the left and flashed his light ahead of them, Raymond spoke: “I’ve never been along that passage,” she said. “I know there are holes in some of them, and I’ve never liked the look of these side tunnels.” “This one’s quite safe,” said Ember, and led the way. Jane heard the murmur of their voices, and for a moment saw the faint glow of the light. Then the glow and the voices died again. It was dark, she was alone, she was cold, she wanted Henry, oh, how she wanted Henry. At that moment Jane’s idea of Paradise was to be able to put her head down on Henry’s shoulder and cry. It was not, perhaps, a very exalted idea, but it was very insistent. When Ember switched on the light, swung open the steel gate, and stood aside for her to pass, Lady Heritage uttered a sharp exclamation. “Jeffrey, what’s this?” she said. “That is what I wanted you to see,” replied Ember. She crossed the threshold, walked a pace or two into the room, and looked around her with eyes from which all dreaminess had vanished. Bewilderment took its place. “Who did this? What does it mean?” she asked. Ember did not answer her until he too was within the chamber. He pushed the steel gate with his hand and it fell to with a clang. “It is, as you see, a well-equipped laboratory,” he said—“worth coming to see, I think.” “Yes, but, Jeffrey——” “You are interested? I thought you would be; won’t you sit down?” She looked about her with puzzled eyes. “Do sit,” said Ember in his quiet, friendly way. “You will find this chair more comfortable than the benches.” He brought it forward as he spoke—a high-backed chair with arms. It struck her then as a curious piece of furniture to find in a laboratory. “Brought here on purpose for you,” said Ember. But Raymond did not sit. Instead she rested her hands lightly on the back of the chair, and, looking across it, said: “Jeffrey, what does all this mean?” “I’m going to tell you,” said Ember seriously. “I have brought you here to tell you, only I wish you would sit down.” “No, thank you. Jeffrey, what is this place?” “A laboratory,” said Ember. “As you see, a laboratory, and the scene of some extremely interesting experiments.”