him.

"He--is--asleep," he stammered. "'Asleep!"

Barnes, who had taken the candle from the mantel-piece, stood peering at
the sleepers in silence and dropping tallow over the floor.

[Illustration: "Barnes, stood peering at the sleepers in silence and
dropping tallow over the floor."]

"We must get out of this," said Meagle. "Quick!" Barnes hesitated. "We
can't leave them here--" he began.

"We must," said Meagle in strident tones. "If you go to sleep I shall
go--Quick! Come."

He seized the other by the arm and strove to drag him to the door.
Barnes shook him off, and putting the candle back on the mantelpiece,
tried again to arouse the sleepers.

"It's no good," he said at last, and, turning from them, watched Meagle.
"Don't you go to sleep," he said anxiously.

Meagle shook his head, and they stood for some time in uneasy silence.
"May as well shut the door," said Barnes at last.

He crossed over and closed it gently. Then at a scuffling noise behind
him he turned and saw Meagle in a heap on the hearthstone.

With a sharp catch in his breath he stood motionless. Inside the room
the candle, fluttering in the draught, showed dimly the grotesque
attitudes of the sleepers. Beyond the door there seemed to his over-
wrought imagination a strange and stealthy unrest. He tried to whistle,
but his lips were parched, and in a mechanical fashion he stooped, and
began to pick up the cards which littered the floor.

He stopped once or twice and stood with bent head listening. The unrest
outside seemed to increase; a loud creaking sounded from the stairs.

"Who is there?" he cried loudly.

The creaking ceased. He crossed to the door and flinging it open, strode
out into the corridor. As he walked his fears left him suddenly.

"Come on!" he cried with a low laugh. "All of you! All of you! Show
your faces--your infernal ugly faces! Don't skulk!"

He laughed again and walked on; and the heap in the fireplace put out his
head tortoise fashion and listened in horror to the retreating footsteps.
Not until they had become inaudible in the distance did the listeners'
features relax.

"Good Lord, Lester, we've driven him mad," he said in a frightened
whisper. "We must go after him."

There was no reply. Meagle sprung to his feet. "Do you hear?" he
cried. "Stop your fooling now; this is serious. White! Lester! Do you
hear?"

He bent and surveyed them in angry bewilderment. "All right," he sai