oan through the trees that surrounded the house. It was a
sound so human that it might have come from the souls of dead men
suffering hopeless torments of regret.

The lamp went out, so suddenly that Susie was vaguely frightened. It gave
one flicker, and they were in total darkness. It seemed as though someone
had leaned over the chimney and blown it out. The night was very black,
and they could not see the window which opened on to the country. The
darkness was so peculiar that for a moment no one stirred.

Then Susie heard Dr Porhoet slip his hand across the table to find
matches, but it seemed that they were not there. Again a loud peal of
thunder startled them, but the rain would not fall. They panted for fresh
air. On a sudden Susie's heart gave a bound, and she sprang up.

'There's someone in the room.'

The words were no sooner out of her mouth than she heard Arthur fling
himself upon the intruder. She knew at once, with the certainty of an
intuition, that it was Haddo. But how had he come in? What did he want?
She tried to cry out, but no sound came from her throat. Dr Porhoet
seemed bound to his chair. He did not move. He made no sound. She knew
that an awful struggle was proceeding. It was a struggle to the death
between two men who hated one another, but the most terrible part of it
was that nothing was heard. They were perfectly noiseless. She tried to
do something, but she could not stir. And Arthur's heart exulted, for his
enemy was in his grasp, under his hands, and he would not let him go
while life was in him. He clenched his teeth and tightened his straining
muscles. Susie heard his laboured breathing, but she only heard the
breathing of one man. She wondered in abject terror what that could mean.
They struggled silently, hand to hand, and Arthur knew that his strength
was greater. He had made up his mind what to do and directed all his
energy to a definite end. His enemy was extraordinarily powerful, but
Arthur appeared to create some strength from the sheer force of his will.
It seemed for hours that they struggled. He could not bear him down.

Suddenly, he knew that the other was frightened and sought to escape from
him. Arthur tightened his grasp; for nothing in the world now would he
ever loosen his hold. He took a deep, quick breath, and then put out all
his strength in a tremendous effort. They swayed from side to side.
Arthur felt as if his muscles were being torn from the bones, he could
n