The  lift  had  ceased  working,  and  he  ascended  the
great  staircase,  three  steps  at  a  time.  On  the  second
floor  he  stopped  to  reconnoitre.  The  gardien  lay  fast
asleep  on  a  bench  ;  he  could  not  do  better  than  sit
on  the  stairs  and  wait  ;  if  the  man  awoke  he  would
have  to  be  bribed.  Lily's  number  was  45,  a  dozen
doors  down  the  passage.  At  one  o'clock  the  gardien
awoke.  Mike  entered  into  conversation  with  him,
gave  him  a  couple  of  francs,  bade  him  good-night,
and  went  partly  up  the  next  flight  of  stairs.  Listening
for  every  sound,  expecting  every  moment  to  hear  a
door  open,  he  waited  till  the  clocks  struck  the  half-
hour.  Then  he  became  as  if  insane,  and  he  deemed
it  would  not  be  enough  if  she  were  to  disappoint  him
to  set  the  hotel  on  Are  and  throw  himself  from  the
roof.  Something  must  happen,  if  he  were  to  remain
sane,  and,  determined  to  dare  all,  he  decided  he
would  seek  her  in  her  room  and  bear  her  away.     He


MIKE  FLETCHER.  247

knew  he  would  have  to  pass  through  Mrs.  Young's
room.  What  should  he  do  if  she  awoke,  and,  taking
him  for  a  robber,  raised  the  alarm  ?

Putting  aside  such  surmises  he  turned  the  handle  of
her  door  as  quietly  as  he  could.  The  lock  gave  forth
hardly  any  sound,  the  door  passed  noiselessly  over
the  carpet.  He  hesitated,  but  only  for  a  moment,
and  drawing  off  his  shoes  he  prepared  to  cross  the
room.  A  night-light  was  burning,  and  it  revealed
the  fat  outline  of  a  huge  body  huddled  in  the  bed-
clothes. He  would  have  to  pass  close  to  Mrs.  Young.
