It was open but dimly lighted, and the light wavered fitfully.

The faint illumination came into the hall from a big broad open door upon the right, giving entrance to what had been the great room.

Still keeping within the shadow, he moved carefully and noiselessly into the hall, until he could get a view of the room beyond.
A huge fire was burning in the enormous fireplace.

The many tables with which the room had been furnished had been pushed together in the center, several tall candles pulled from the candelabra and fastened there by their own melted wax stood upon these tables and added their illumination to the fire-light.

Several men in uniforms, two of them rough-coated Cossacks, and two whose dress showed clearly that they belonged to the Russian Imperial Guard, lay on the floor, bound and helpless.