"Is that you, Willis?" asked Pyne.
"Oh, I beg pardon, Sir Lucien. I didn't know you in the dark."
"Has Mr. Gray retired yet?"
"Not yet. Will you please follow me, Sir Lucien. The stairway lights
are off."
A few moments later Sir Lucien was shown into the apartment of Gray's
which oddly combined the atmosphere of a gymnasium with that of a
study. Gray, wearing a dressing-gown and having a pipe in his mouth,
was standing up to receive his visitor, his face rather pale and the
expression of his lips at variance with that in his eyes. But:
"Hello, Pyne," he said quietly. "Anything wrong--or have you just
looked in for a smoke?"
Sir Lucien smiled a trifle sadly.
"I wanted a chat, Gray," he replied. "I'm leaving town tomorrow, or I
should not have intruded at such an unearthly hour."
"No intrusion," muttered Gray; "try the armchair, no, the big one.
It's more comfortable." He raised his voice: "Willis, bring some
fluid!"
Sir Lucien sat down, and from the pocket of his dinner jacket took out
a plain brown packet of cigarettes and selected one.
"Here," said Gray, "have a cigar!"
"No, thanks," replied Pyne. "I rarely smoke anything but these."
"Never seen that kind of packet before," declared Gray.
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