just made that sum could
afford to burn a little gas--and, first satisfying himself by looking
under the counter and round the shop, re-entered the sitting room.

Despite his efforts, he could not get rid of the sense of loneliness and
danger which possessed him. The clock had stopped, and the only sound
audible was the snapping of the extinguished coals in the grate. He
crossed over to the mantelpiece, and, taking out his watch, wound the
clock up. Then he heard something else.

With great care he laid the key softly on the mantelpiece and listened
intently. The clock was now aggressively audible, so that he opened the
case again, and putting his finger against the pendulum, stopped it.
Then he drew his revolver and cocked it, and, with his set face turned
towards the door, and his lips parted, waited.

At first--nothing. Then all the noises which a lonely man hears in a
house at night. The stairs creaked, something moved in the walls.
He crossed noiselessly to the door and opened it. At the head of the
staircase he fancied the darkness moved.

"Who's there?" he cried in a strong voice.

Then he stepped back into the room and lit his lamp. "I'll get to bed,"
he said grimly; "I've got the horrors."

He left the gas burning, and with the lamp in his left hand and the
pistol in his right slowly ascended the stairs. The first landing was
clear. He opened the doors of each room, and, holding the lamp aloft,
peered in. Then he mounted higher, and looked in the rooms, crammed from
floor to ceiling with pledges, ticketed and placed on shelves. In one
room he thought he saw something crouching in a corner. He entered
boldly, and as he passed along one side of a row of shelves could have
sworn that he heard a stealthy footfall on the other. He rushed back to
the door, and hung listening over the shaky balusters. Nothing stirred,
and, satisfied that he must have been mistaken, he gave up the search
and went to his bedroom. He set the lamp down on the drawers, and turned
to close the door, when he distinctly heard a noise in the shop below.
He snatched up the lamp again and ran hastily downstairs, pausing
halfway on the lowest flight as he saw a dark figure spreadeagled
against the side door, standing on tiptoe to draw back the bolt.

At the noise of his approach, it turned its head hastily, and revealed
the face of the brown man; the bolt shot back, and at the same moment
the Jew raised his pistol and fired twice.

From