”Thenyoucangiveussomesortofanideahowwearetoapplyformembership。”Mr。DunnmettheconcentratedgazeofhistwoevidentlyunwelcomevisitorswithafranknesswhichdashedGeorge’sconfidenceinhimself，butmadelittlevisibleimpressionuponhisdaringcompanion。”Ishouldratherseeyouatanothertime，”saidhe。”But-”hishesitationwasinappreciablesavetothenicestear-”ifyouwillallowmetobebrief，IwilltellyouwhatIknow-whichisverylittle。”
Sweetwaterwasgreatlytakenaback。Allhehadlookedfor，ashewascarefultotellmyhusbandlater，wasasufficientlyprolongedconversationtoenableGeorgetomarkandstudytheworkingsofthefacehewasnotyetsureof。Nordidthedetectivefeelquiteeasyatthereadinessofhisreception；noranytoowellpleasedtoaccepttheinvitationwhichthismannowgavethemtoenterhisroom。
Buthesufferednobetrayalofhismisgivingstoescapehim，thoughhewascarefultointimatetoGeorge，astheywaitedinthedoorwayfortheothertolightup，thatheshouldnotbedispleasedathisrefusaltoaccompanyhimfurtherinthisadventure，andevenadvisedhimtoremaininthehalltillhereceivedhissummonstoenter。
ButGeorgehadnotcomeasfarasthistobackoutnow，andassoonashesawSweetwateradvanceintothenowwell-lightedinterior，headvancedtooandbegantolookaroundhim。
Theroom，likemanyothersintheseold-fashionedtenements，hadajogjustwherethedoorwas，sothatonenteringtheyhadtotakeseveralstepsbeforetheycouldgetafullglimpseofitsfourwalls。