By a black and dirty stair they mounted up, up, towards a small oil lamp, burning on the fourth floor.

On reaching the third floor they struck a match to read the names upon the door-plates.

A voice called out from above: "Here, gentlemen, here!" An affable young man in a dark morning suit came down to meet them.

He showed them great deference, said the others were waiting for them, and conducted them through an ante-room and a passage almost as dark as the stairway itself, to a large room, full of people, and dimly lighted by four candles and two old oil lamps.

The young man apologised for the darkness, saying his parents would tolerate neither the electric light, nor gas, nor petroleum.