nt tones that jar
upon the tympanum in such a state as this. Each inanimate object seems
endowed with its own power of voice, and whispering noises come stealing
through the dead silence of midnight.

In this state of almost frenzied anxiety I sat long,--my eyes turned
towards the door, which oftentimes I fancied I could perceive to move.
At length the thought occurred to me, that by affecting sleep, if any
one lay concealed within whose object was to enter the room, this would
probably induce him.

[Illustration: 089]

[Illustration: BrowneLocomotiveChair055]

I had not long to wait for the success of my scheme. The long-drawn
breathing of my seeming slumber was not continued for more than a few
minutes, when I saw the door slowly, almost imperceptibly, move. At
first it stirred inch by inch; then gradually it opened wider and wider
till it met the obstacle of the chair. There now came a pause of several
seconds, during which it demanded all my efforts to sustain my
part,--the throbbing at my throat and temples increasing almost beyond
endurance, and the impulse to dash forward, and flinging wide the door,
confront my enemy, being nearly too much for my resistance. Again it
moved noiselessly as before; and then a hand stole out, and, laying hold
of the chair, pushed it slowly backwards. The gray light of the breaking
day fell upon the spot, and I could see that the cuff of the coat was
laced with gold.

This time my anxiety became intense. Another second or two and I should
be engaged in the conflict,--I knew not against how many. I clutched my
sabre more fairly in my grasp, as my breathing grew thicker and shorter.
The chair still continued to slide silently into the room, and already
the arm of the man within protruded. Now was the moment, or never; and
with a spring, I threw myself on it, and, pinioning the wrist in my
hands, held it down upon the floor while I opposed my weight against the
door.

[Illustration: 090]

Quick as lightning the other hand appeared, armed with a pistol; and I
had but a moment to crouch my head nearly to the ground when a bullet
whizzed past and smashed through the window behind me, while with
a crash the frail door gave way to a strong push, and a man sprang
fiercely forward to seize me by the throat. Jumping backward, I
recovered my feet; but before I could raise my pistol he made a spring
at me, and we both rolled together on the floor. On the pistol both our
hands met, and t