Inside there appeared a fine wire on a spool which unwound gradually by clockwork, and, after passing through a peculiar small arrangement, was wound up on another spool.

Flexible silk-covered copper wires led from the box.
Carefully Constance reached across the dizzy intervening space, and drew in the slack LeMar telephone wires.

With every care she cut into them as if she were making an extension, and attached the wires from the box.
Perhaps half an hour later the door buzzer sounded.

Constance could scarcely restrain her surprise as Mrs.Lansing Noble stepped in quickly and shut the door herself.
"I don't want her to know I'm here," she whispered, nodding across the hall.
"Won't you take off your things ?" asked Constance cordially.
"No, I can't stay," returned her visitor nervously, pausing.
Constance wondered why she had come.

Was she, too, trying to warn a newcomer against the place! She said nothing, but now that the effort had been made and the little woman had gone actually so far, she felt the reaction.