Moreover, he was
no better off for his exploit.
Three minutes sufficed him in which to examine the shelves covering the
four walls of the room from floor to ceiling. None of the books were
dummies, and slowly the fact began to dawn upon his mind that what at
first he had assumed to be a rather simple device, was, in truth, almost
incomprehensible.
For how, in the name of Sanity, did the occupant of this room--and
obviously it was occupied at times--enter and leave it?
"Ah!" he muttered, shining the light upon a row of yellow-bound volumes
from which he had commenced his tour of inspection and to which that
tour had now led him back, "it is uncanny--this!"
He glanced back at the rectangular patch of light which marked the trap
whereby he had entered this supernormal room. It was situated close to
one corner of the library, and, acting upon an idea which came to him
(any idea was better than none) he proceeded to throw down the books
occupying the corresponding position at the other end of the shelf.
A second trap was revealed, identical with that through which he had
entered!
It was fastened with a neat brass bolt; and, standing upon one of the
little Persian tables--from which he removed a silver bowl of roses--he
opened this trap and looked into the lighted room beyond.
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