Then, all at once a gleam of savage interest
lighted his somewhat solemn features.
"Read the letter to me," he said, with an evil smile which instantly
animated my own latent imagination. And immediately it occurred to me
that perhaps, in the humble letter from the wilds of Baffin Land, which I
was now opening with eager and unsteady fingers, might lie concealed the
professional undoing of Professor Jane Bottomly, and the only hope of my
own ultimate and scientific salvation.
The room became hideously still as I unfolded the pencil-scrawled sheets
of cheap, ruled letter paper.
Dr. Fooss opened his eyes, looked at me, made porcine sounds indicative
of personal well-being, relighted his pipe, and disposed himself to
listen. But just as I was about to begin, Lezard suddenly laid his
forefinger across his lips conjuring us to densest silence.
For a moment or two I heard nothing except the buzzing of flies. Then
I stole a startled glance at my door. It was opening slowly, almost
imperceptibly.
But it did not open very far--just a crack remained. Then, listening with
all our might, we heard the cautiously suppressed breathing of somebody
in the hallway just outside of my door.
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