til
after midnight and nothing unusual happened. Mrs. Townsend began to
nod; Mr. Townsend read the paper ostentatiously. Adrianna and Cordelia
stared with roving eyes about the room, then at each other as if
comparing notes on terror. George had a book which he studied
furtively. All at once Adrianna gave a startled exclamation and
Cordelia echoed her. George whistled faintly. Mrs. Townsend awoke with
a start and Mr. Townsend's paper rattled to the floor.

"Look!" gasped Adrianna.

The sign of the Blue Leopard over the shelf glowed as if a lantern hung
over it. The radiance was thrown from above. It grew brighter and
brighter as they watched. The Blue Leopard seemed to crouch and spring
with life. Then the door into the front hall opened--the outer door,
which had been carefully locked. It squeaked and they all recognized
it. They sat staring. Mr. Townsend was as transfixed as the rest.
They heard the outer door shut, then the door into the room swung open
and slowly that awful black group of people which they had seen in the
afternoon entered. The Townsends with one accord rose and huddled
together in a far corner; they all held to each other and stared. The
people, their faces gleaming with a whiteness of death, their black
robes waving and folding, crossed the room. They were a trifle above
mortal height, or seemed so to the terrified eyes which saw them. They
reached the mantel-shelf where the sign-board hung, then a black-draped
long arm was seen to rise and make a motion, as if plying a knocker.
Then the whole company passed out of sight, as if through the wall, and
the room was as before. Mrs. Townsend was shaking in a nervous chill,
Adrianna was almost fainting, Cordelia was in hysterics. David
Townsend stood glaring in a curious way at the sign of the Blue
Leopard. George stared at him with a look of horror. There was
something in his father's face which made him forget everything else.
At last he touched his arm timidly.

"Father," he whispered.

David turned and regarded him with a look of rage and fury, then his
face cleared; he passed his hand over his forehead.

"Good Lord! What DID come to me?" he muttered.

"You looked like that awful picture of old Tom Townsend in the garret
in Townsend Centre, father," whimpered the boy, shuddering.

"Should think I might look like 'most any old cuss after such darned
work as this," growled David, but his face was white. "Go and pour out
so