"I'll see, sir," she replied. "Who shall I say it is?"
"Roger Strong."
The girl left me standing in the hall. While waiting for her return I could not help but remember the old lines:&—
"'Will you walk into my parlor?'
Said the spider to the fly."
But if I was walking into the spider's parlor, it would be my own fault if I got hurt, for I was entering with my eyes open. I determined to be on my guard, and take nothing for granted.
"Mr. Woodward will be pleased to see you in his library," said the girl upon her return, and then, having indicated the door, she vanished down the back hall.
As I put my hand upon the door-knob, I heard steps upon the stairs, and looking up saw Duncan Woodward descending.
His face was still swollen from the punishment I had inflicted upon him. Nevertheless, he was faultlessly dressed in full evening costume, and I rightly conjectured he was going to spend the night in some fashionable dissipation such as dancing or card-playing.
"Hello! how did you get in here?" he exclaimed.
"Was let in," was my mild reply, not caring to pick a quarrel with him.