Come up!" He led the way to a flight of steps in one corner of the lower room, pushed open a door at their head, and showed his companion into a small apartment arranged and furnished in something closely approaching to luxury.

The walls were hung with thick fabrics; the carpeting was equally thick; there were pictures, books, and curiosities; the two or three chairs were deep and big enough to lie down in; the two windows commanded pleasant views of the Cathedral towers on one side and of the Close on the other.
"Nice little place to be alone in, d'ye see ?" said Folliot.

"Cool in summer--warm in winter--modern fire-grate, you notice.

Come here when I want to do a bit of quiet thinking, what ?" "Good place for that--certainly," agreed Bryce.
Folliot pointed his visitor to one of the big chairs and turning to a cabinet brought out some glasses, a syphon of soda-water, and a heavy cut-glass decanter.

He nodded at a box of cigars which lay open on a table at Bryce's elbow as he began to mix a couple of drinks.
"Help yourself," he said.