A minute afterward I heard voices; his
and the old woman's, and, I fancied, a third. Before I had finished my
inspection of the room he returned, and regarded me with the same strange
look I had noticed before.
"'There will be three of us at dinner,' he said, at length. 'We two and
my son.'
"I bowed again, and secretly hoped that that look didn't run in the
family.
"'I suppose you don't mind dining in the dark,' he said, abruptly.
"'Not at all,' I replied, hiding my surprise as well as I could, 'but
really I'm afraid I'm intruding. If you'll allow me--'
"He waved his huge gaunt hands. 'We're not going to lose you now we've
got you,' he said, with a dry laugh. 'It's seldom we have company, and
now we've got you we'll keep you. My son's eyes are bad, and he can't
stand the light. Ah, here is Anne.'
"As he spoke the old woman entered, and, eyeing me stealthily, began to
lay the cloth, while my host, taking a chair the other side of the
hearth, sat looking silently into the fire. The table set, the old woman
brought in a pair of fowls ready carved in a dish, and placing three
chairs, left the room. The old man hesitated a moment, and then, rising
from his chair, placed a large screen in front of the fire and slowly
extinguished the candles.
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