Page:The Master of Mysteries (1912).djvu/478

 fireplace, to open a hole on each side. Which of the two flues ran down into the next floor it was impossible to tell. He must be ready for both. It took two hours of hard work to get the bricks out; but by the time the company were racketing down-stairs Astro had the satisfaction of perceiving a faint light deep down in one of the openings. It was now only a question of waiting till Farralon was alone, and hailing him. To find out what was going on, he had started down-stairs when he heard voices. A man was still in the larger room speaking through the closed door of the office.

"Don't you try and make a row now, or we'll come in and make you quit! You keep quiet, Farralon! I'm going to turn in now. So long, old man! Dream of your bride and a happy wedding!" and after turning the key in the door he rolled over on a cot in the hall. In a few minutes he was snoring.

Astro stole up-stairs and put his mouth to the hole, calling Farralon. No answer came. Then he sat down on the floor, took off his sock, and raveled out a long line of silk. Next, he wrote a short note, fastened the paper into his pocket-knife, and tied the line to it. This he let cautiously down the hole, and jangled it softly at the bottom. In a few minutes he felt the line pulled taut. Farralon took the note, read it, and came back.

"Who's up there?" he called up in a loud whisper.

"A friend!" Astro replied.

And thereupon ensued a long dialogue; after which the Seer of Secrets, chuckling to himself mightily, stole down-stairs and out the door, found his still waiting taxicab, and was driven rapidly back to the city. It was four o'clock when he threw himself, exhausted, on the great couch in his studio.