There was a large heavy knocker on the green door, and though Mr.Dempster carried a latch-key, he sometimes chose to use the knocker.

He chose to do so now.

The thunder resounded through Orchard Street, and, after a single minute, there was a second clap louder than the first.

Another minute, and still the door was not opened; whereupon Mr.Dempster, muttering, took out his latch-key, and, with less difficulty than might have been expected, thrust it into the door.

When he opened the door the passage was dark.
'Janet!' in the loudest rasping tone, was the next sound that rang through the house.
'Janet!' again--before a slow step was heard on the stairs, and a distant light began to flicker on the wall of the passage.
'Curse you! you creeping idiot! Come faster, can't you ?' Yet a few seconds, and the figure of a tall woman, holding aslant a heavy-plated drawing-room candlestick, appeared at the turning of the passage that led to the broader entrance.
She had on a light dress which sat loosely about her figure, but did not disguise its liberal, graceful outline.