one o'clock in the morning before
The noise resembled the turning of rusty hinges and the soft thud of one piece of wood striking another . There was a strained silence , then , from out of the darkness appeared a tiny stream of light directed full on a white envelope bearing a large red seal . The next instant the envelope was plucked from the hand holding it , and a figure lay crumpled on the floor from the blow of a descending weapon . It was closely approaching one o'clock in the morning before Mrs. Brewster stirred from her comfortable bedroom chair . Taking up her electric torch , which she kept always by the side of her bed , she walked quickly down the staircase and into the pitch dark library . Directing her torch-light so that she steered a safe course among the chairs and tables , she approached one of the pieces of carved Venetian furniture and reached out her hand to touch a trap-door . As she looked for the spring she was horrified to see a thin stream of blood oozing through the carving until , reaching the letter `` B , '' it outlined that initial in sinister red .