The ground floor shops bore the signs of a florist and a milliner; above was a photograph gallery; and the two upper stories were apparently unoccupied.

To the left of the two stores another stairway led up into the center of the building.

Pepper led Lane up this stairway, a long, dark climb of three stories that taxed Lane's endurance.
"Sure is a junk heap, this old block," observed Pepper, as he fumbled in the dim light with his keys.

At length he opened a door, turned on a light and led Lane into his apartment.

"I have three rooms here, and the back one opens into a kind of areaway from which I get into an abandoned storeroom, or I guess it's an attic.