The man folded the paper, and leaned back in his seat. He began to doze. The train rolled steadily onward. It had made a stop half an hour before; the next station would be reached in another half hour.
The wind began to sweep against the window, and rain appeared there. The window was totally black; darkness held sway. The train passed through a tunnel; smoke poured by the window.
The man in the compartment had fallen asleep.
The knob of the door began to turn. The door opened slowly. As it swung inward, nothing was revealed except a blackness in the corridor. Then that blackness assumed a human form. A man stepped in and closed the door.
The sleeper stirred, but did not awaken. The man who had entered began a close search of the compartment. He came to the man who dozed.
The sleeper was a man of middle age with aristocratic features. His hair was gray; he wore a close-clipped mustache, apparently of recent growth.
The mysterious visitor leaned over the occupant of the compartment. His black cloak seemed to envelop the sleeper, as it obscured him from view. When the man in black stepped away, his hand held a thin package of folded papers.
He stood there, studying the man before him. The man in black seemed to have no face; it was entirely hidden by his upturned collar, and by the brim of his dark hat. His form cast a huge, fantastic shadow. The mysterious man laughed softly.
The sound awakened the sleeper. The man of aristocratic appearance was leaning with his head turned to one side.
As he opened his eyes, he saw the shadow on the seat beside him. He looked up quickly. His face paled; his arms dropped helplessly. An expression of complete astonishment came over him.