“I asked why, and she said he was alone in a strange country, and that it was dreadful to be young—­and alone in a strange country.  Plainly she had something more to say, so I told her to speak what was in her mind.  The substance was that Mr. Framtree had lasted much longer than most, therefore he must be a very great artist with the cards.  Many men had come with fortunes to The Pleiad, and most of them were ready to gamble with her lord, who invariably got their money in the end.  It was not only the money, but he had a vast pride in his mastery, and in the house he had built.  It was not possible for him to continue to lose any length of time.  Then Senora Rey informed me that the two were together now, and if she dared, she could show me some things about her lord’s house.

“I begged her to, though fearfully, you may believe.  She said it was risking murder if we were caught, but I saw she wanted to show me.  Also, I thought of many things, and it looked important—­for one in my capacity not to miss.  So I asked again....  ’You see, I can refuse you nothing,’ she said.  ’I love you for coming to me.  I am a woman again—­even young and glad.  Before you came, I was a snake crushed at midday—­that could not die until the dark.’

“I think the adventure really fascinated her, because she hates the Senor so.  Anyway, I followed through several inner rooms of oppressive magnificence which the Spaniard reserves for his own use.  Then we entered a corridor.  No lock could be seen, but the Senora touched the panel in a certain way.  It closed of itself as we entered, with the sound of a lock indeed—­a heavy, oiled, smooth-running click, but very soft.  I hated to hear it behind.  The corridor was narrow and dim.  It was high, but the thickly shaded lamps were far apart and close to the rugs, so that one’s shoes were lit, but faces hardly recognizable.  Low voices mingled in a bewildering complication throughout the corridor.  There was a sliding ladder with carpeted steps, which could be pushed noiselessly along one wall.  An arrangement like it is used in libraries to reach the upper shelves.  The Glow-worm was trembling, and squeezed my hand repeatedly to insure silence, and slid the ladder along nearly to the end.  I could hear her quick, frightened breathing.  The thing was locked by some unseen turn of the Senora’s finger, and I was directed to climb.  Up three steps, and I saw light through the wall on the level of my eyes.  Closer, it appeared that only a dark gauze almost transparent hung between me and another room.  The gauze covered a slit plenty large enough to look through.

“Senor Rey and the handsome man were facing each other in a dull green room.  The latter’s back was toward me, and a table was between them, but they were not at cards.  The young man’s profile was half-turned so I could see, and he moved restlessly in his chair.  He lit a cigarette as I stood there, and the Senor observed that it was sad to be old.  You could hear their words, as clearly as you hear mine.  The Framtree gentleman laughed softly.  He has a manner, I confess.  He declared that he didn’t believe there was ever a time when the Senor could have solved the problem at hand.