"Here! Come in here." Charlie twitched him suddenly by the arm. Through an archway, and Alan found himself in a familiar room—the reception room. It was unlighted. Its furniture showed dimly in the light from the corridor. Like shadows they slid into the recess behind the portieres of the windows.
"What is it, Charlie? Some one coming?"
"No. I want to show you—outside here. Big things afoot here tonight—dark deeds of mystery. I know—I've seen them!"
They cautiously raised one of the shades a trifle. Alan saw that the main courtyard was dark and silent. The single door of the laboratory building was closed.
"What, Charlie? Shall we stay here awhile?"
"Yes. Big things going on. You'll see."
"But what? What have you seen?"
"Things you can't see from here. From the roof you can see them because you're higher than those other walls. Shall we go to the roof? I've got the key—that's Bluebeard's key—"
"No. Stay here awhile."
They were comparatively safe, here behind the portieres. Alan was waiting until later, when he could go up to the girl's room.