"Come in, Mr. Martin," he said.
Martin stepped into the entry, and the door was closed.
Before him was a narrow staircase, with a faded stair-carpet upon it. A door was partly open into a room on the right, but still there was nothing visible that looked like business.
"Follow me," said Smith, leading the way up stairs.
Martin followed, his curiosity, if anything, greater than before.
They went into a front room on the second floor.
"Excuse me a moment," said Smith.
Martin was left alone, but in two minutes Smith returned with a tall, powerful-looking man, whose height was such that he narrowly escaped being a giant.
"Mr. Martin," said Smith, "this is my partner, Mr. Hayes."
"Proud to make your acquaintance, I am sure, Mr. Hayes," said Martin, affably. "I met your partner this mornin' in an eatin'-house, and he said you might have a job for me. My health aint very good, but I could do light work well enough."