"I started, whirled around in my tracks. His voice had lost the level, passive tone; it had taken on the timbre of action. Suddenly, with a quick rustle of silken garments, he stood up behind the desk; the abrupt motion threw his shadow across the floor and up the opposite wall. With a subtle thrill of anticipation, I felt the profound psychic change that had come over my friend. The very air of the room had quickened before that single exclamation, as if a cold breeze had blown through.... A breeze, indeed, was at that moment trying hard to find an entrance; the absolute silence of the room brought out in sharp relief the tumult outside, the hoarse voice of the rising gale. We stood as if listening. I looked at Lee Fu, caught his eye. It was charged with energy and purpose, with something like relief—like the eye of a man who has made up his mind after a long period of bewilderment, who begins to understand.... "’Send him in, alone’ said he in Chinese to Sing Toy, now at the outer door. "’Who is it?’ I asked hoarsely. "’The man we have been speaking of’ "’Wilbur? What the devil...?’ "’He merely dropped in as he was passing, to make a call’ said Lee Fu, speaking rapidly ’So he thinks—but I think otherwise’ Leaning forward across the desk, he fixed me with an extended arm that trembled slightly before it found its aim. ’Keep silence’ he commanded ’Beware of word or glance. This chanced by predestination. We are on the threshold of the gods’ *V* Lee Fu remained standing as Captain Wilbur entered the room. His hurried admonition still rang in my ears ’Keep silence—beware of word or glance!’ But I couldn’t have spoken; had I opened my mouth just then, it would have been only to emit a snarl of anger. To beware of glances was a different matter. The task might be easy enough for Lee Fu, with that perfect self-control of his that extended to the last nerve of his eyelids and the last muscle of his fingertips; but for my part I was spiritually incapable, as it were, of keeping rage and abomination out of my eyes. I stood as if rooted to the floor, gazing point-blank at Wilbur with a stare that must have made him wonder about my sanity. For, of course, he hadn’t the slightest suspicion that we knew what we knew. "’Good afternoon, Captain Wilbur’ said Lee Fu blandly ’Do you seek refuge from the storm? ... I think you are acquainted with Captain Nichols, of the barque _Omega_. He arrived this morning from the Celebes’ "’Oh, how do you do, Nichols’ said Wilbur, advancing down the room ’I’ve missed you around town for a good while, it seems to me. So you’ve been off on one of your famous exploring trips? Then you’ll have a lot to tell us. I suppose you had the usual assortment of romantic and tragic adventures?’ "I drew back behind the desk, to escape shaking his hand. ’No’ I answered ’nothing like the adventure that awaited me here’