Then he was gone down the winding stair-way like a black ghost, and so out and away.
Sir Jasper Kingsland took the folded paper and sought his room.

There in the pale day-dawn he tore it open.

One side was covered with cabalistic characters, Eastern symbols, curious marks and hieroglyphics.

The other side was written in French, in long, clear, legible characters.

There was a heading: "Horoscope of the Heir of Kingsland." Sir Jasper sat down and began to read.
Nearly an hour after, a servant, entering to replenish the faded fire, fled out of the room and startled the household with his shrieks.