They went in together, but as the man turned to speak he found that he was alone. With a smile he cast a leisurely eye around, and then strode along the hall to the upper staircase.
The superintendent was coming down.
"No use your going up," she said in an unnecessarily low tone.
"One of the ladies says she is out, so we shan't be able to get in."
"Oh, that won't matter!" he replied carelessly. "I'm a good deal of burglar; I always carry a skeleton key in my pocket—it will unlock almost anything. You ought to have one."
"We have never needed it," she responded coldly, quickly preceding him.
She tapped softly on the door.
"Oh, you're in, after all!" she exclaimed in a voice of sweet surprise. "They said you had gone out."
"I have been here since dinner.—How do you do, Mr. Randolph! Are you quite well again?"
"Shouldn't know I had ever been sick—except for the doctor's bill!" he replied. "Now, how about this light, Miss Sterling? Do you find the addition in the way?"
"Why, of course, it isn't quite so pleasant," she admitted; "but I don't mind it very much."