Chick rose up in bed, in order to examine it more closely.  Immediately he fell back again slightly dizzy.  He closed his eyes.

Shortly he began examining the other pictures.  Two of these were simple flower studies.  Watson scarcely knew which puzzled him most; the blossoms or their containers.  For the vases were like large-sized loving cups, broad as to body, and provided with a handle on either side.  Their colours were unfamiliar.  As for the blossoms—­in one study the blooms were a half-dozen in number, and more like Shasta daisies than anything else.  But their colour was totally unlike, while they possessed wide, striped stamens that gave the flowers an identity all their own.  In the other vase were several varieties, and every one absolutely unrecognisable.

On the opposite side of the room was something fairly familiar.  At first glance it seemed a simple basket of kittens, done in black and white—­something like crayon, and yet resembling sepia.  Alongside the basket, however, was a spoon, one end resting on the edge of a saucer.  And it was the size of the spoon that commanded Chick’s attention; rather, the size of the kittens, any one of which could have curled up comfortably in the bowl of the spoon!  Judging relatively, if it were an ordinary tablespoon, then the kittens were smaller than the smallest of mice.

Chick gave it up.  Presently he began speculating about the time.  He decided that, whatever the hour might be, it was still daylight.  In one wall of the room was a large, oval window, of a material which may as well be called glass, frosted, so as to permit no view of what might lie outside.  But it allowed plenty of light to enter.

Cut in the opposite wall was a doorway, hung with a curtain instead of a door.  This curtain was a gauzy material, but its maroonlike shade completely hid all view of whatever lay beyond.

Chick waited and listened.  Hitherto he had not heard a sound.  There was not even that subtle, mixed hum from the distance that we are accustomed to associate with silence.  He felt certain that he was inside the Blind Spot; but as to just where that locality might lie, he knew as little as before.  He knew only that he in a building of some sort.  Where, and what, was the building?

Just then he noticed a cord dangling from the ceiling.  It came down to within six inches of his head.  He gave it a pull.

Whereupon he heard a faint, musical jangling in the distance.  He tried to analyse the sound.  It was not bell-like; perhaps the word “tinkling” would serve better.  Provisionally, Chick placed the key at middle D.

A moment later he heard steps outside the curtain.  They were very soft and light and deliberate; and almost at the same instant a delicate white hand moved the curtain aside.

It was a woman.  Chick lay back and wondered.  Although not beautiful she was very good to look at, with large blue eyes of a deep tenderness and sympathy, even features, and a wonderful fold of rich brown hair held in place by a satiny net.