r all that had passed neither of them
might have known it.

"I turned quickly to the door," Gifford continued, "but to my surprise
the lady whom I expected to find there had disappeared. I could neither
see nor hear any sign of her.

"I took a step back into the room, fully expecting an onslaught from the
infuriated Henshaw. 'You cowardly brute!' I exclaimed in the heat of my
anger and excitement. But no reply came, and to my wonder he lay still on
the floor where he had fallen."

CHAPTER XXII

HOW GIFFORD ESCAPED

"I waited for some time in silence, expecting him every moment to rise
and retaliate. He was a big, muscular man, but it never occurred to me to
be in any fear of him physically. For one thing my indignation was too
hot to admit fear; I happen to be quite good enough at boxing to be able
to take care of myself, and I was sure--all the more from his continuing
to lie there--that such a despicable bully must be a coward.

"'You had better get up and clear out of this house,' I said wrathfully,
'before you get the thrashing you so richly deserve.'

"No answer came. As I waited for one there was, save for my own
breathing, dead silence in the room. Before speaking I had heard
something like a long drawn sigh come from the man on the floor, but now,
listening intently, I could hear nothing. Two explanations suggested
themselves to account for his still lying there. One, shame at his vile
conduct having been witnessed by a third person, the other that he had
struck his head against the wall in falling and was stunned.

"Naturally I was not greatly concerned at the fellow's condition,
whichever it was; still it would, I concluded, be well to settle the
matter, and if he was merely skulking see that he cleared out of the
house. I shut the door, and then crossing to where the man lay, struck a
match and held it out to get a view of him.

"He lay on his face with his arms bent under him. I prodded him with my
foot, but he did not stir; he lay absolutely, rather uncannily still. The
match burned out; I struck another and leaned over to get a sight of his
face. To my horror there met my eyes a dark wet patch on the floor which
I instinctively felt must be blood. You may imagine the terrible thrill
the conviction gave me. Yet I could not believe even then that anything
really serious had happened.

"I struck a fresh match and holding it up with one hand, with the other
took the man's shoulder and turne