The Golden Bat by Fred M. White — Read

Ray stood there in the dense shadow looking into the lighted room for a moment so surprised that he forgot to take the necessary precautions. In a way it was natural enough that Moon should be in his own house, but he had certainly gathered from Keen that his friend was on the other side of the world. Still, the great scientist was notoriously eccentric in his movements, a law unto himself, a man who came and went just as he liked, without consulting anybody. It had only been for a few minutes some years before that Ray had met the great man at an evening crush just outside San Salvador, but the clear impression of that rather fine head with its grey beard and thick glasses remained in his mind, and not for a moment did he doubt that he was practically face to face with one of the objects of his search.

So he stood there, in the velvety blackness of the hall, looking into the room where Moon was seated at a table, and more or less engaged in writing some thing. Opposite to him stood Keen's rather mysterious butler, who, as far as Ray could judge, was waiting for orders. His attitude was respectful enough, and there was nothing between the two men to suggest the slightest familiarity.