When Lucian stood up to take his departure, he addressed him directly: "Well, sir," said he, with a sardonic smile, "are you convinced that the struggling shadows on yonder blind were children of your heated fancy ?" "No," said Denzil stoutly, "I am not!" "Yet you have seen that there is no one in the house!" "Mr.Berwin," said Lucian, after a moment's thought, "you propose a riddle which I cannot answer, and which I do not wish to answer.

I cannot explain what I saw to-night, but as surely as you were out of this house, some people were in it.

How this affects you, or what reason you have for denying it, I do not ask.

Keep your own secrets, and go your own way.

I wish you good-night, sir," and Lucian moved towards the door.
Berwin, who was holding a full tumbler of rich, strong port, drank the whole of it in one gulp.