The girl stared at him; her lips moved, but no sound came through them. Matt repeated the question.
"Y-y-yes," faltered the girl.
"My name's King," answered Matt. "Mr. Jerrold sent me a telegram and asked me to come here to-night."
The girl leaned forward eagerly as though she would say something. Before she could speak, if she had intended to, a sound as of some one moving in the darkness behind her, caused her to draw back.
"Please come in," she said breathlessly.
Matt entered the hall. The girl closed the door behind him and then, with the lamp shaking in her hand, led him into a room off the hall.
The room was evidently a parlor, although its furniture was meager and shabby.
"Please sit down," said the girl, placing the lamp on a table. "Mr. B—Mr. Jerrold will be here in a few moments. Would you like to read while you're waiting?"
Matt started to decline, but the girl had already picked up a book from the table, opened it and was handing it to him.
He looked at her in astonishment. From her frightened face his eyes fell to the book that was quivering in her hand. There was an appeal in her manner which caused him to take the book.