lump arose in my throat,
preventing me from breathing.

And then I lapsed into the blackness of unconsciousness.

CHAPTER EIGHT

PRESENTS ANOTHER PROBLEM

When, by slow degrees, I became aware of things about me, I found
myself in total darkness, save that, straight before my eyes, some few
feet away, showed a thin, narrow line of light.

Next second, a flood of the most horrible recollections surged through
my brain. I dare not move a muscle, fearing that the reptile was
lurking near my face. My senses seemed dulled and dazed, yet my
recollections were quite clear. Every detail of those moments of awful
terror stood out clear and fearsome in my mind.

Slowly, so slow, indeed, as to be imperceptible, I managed to turn my
head aside, and glance at the small table. But it was in darkness. I
could distinguish nothing. To my surprise, I discovered, however, that
though I still remained in that position, my legs higher than my head,
yet the arms of the chair had unclasped, and my bonds had been freed!

What had happened?

In fear of bringing the watchful reptile upon me, I moved slightly.
But there was no movement from that table in the darkness.

I waited, dreading lest I should be suddenly attacked. Then,
summoning courage, I suddenly sprang out of the chair on the side
opposite the table, and dashed across to where showed that narrow
streak of light.

I saw that it came through the lower crevice of the heavy wooden
shutters. With frantic haste my hands slid over them. I found an iron
bar, and, this unlatched, I threw them back, and let in the broad
light of day.

For a moment my eyes were dazzled by the sunlight.

Then, on looking behind me, I saw that upon the table the candle had
burned itself to its socket, while on the floor, near by, lay the
small black reptile stretched out motionless.

I feared at first to approach it. To its tail the cord was still
attached, but it had been severed. I crept towards it, and, bending
down, realized with great relief that it was dead.

The leathern collar which had secured my head had been loosened and
the mechanism of the chair reversed, allowing me my freedom. I looked
around the room in wonder. There stood the littered card-table and the
empty glasses of the previous night, while the air was still heavy
with the odour of stale cigars.

Making quite certain that the reptile was dead, I turned my attention
to the chair, and noted how cleverly the devilis