e 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 said in
a trembling voice. "You won't frighten me, you know."

He turned away and walked with exaggerated carelessness in the direction
of the door. He even went outside and peeped through the crack, but the
sleepers did not stir. He glanced into the blackness behind, and then
came hastily into the room again.

He stood for a few seconds regarding them. The stillness in the house
was horrible; he could not even hear them breathe. With a sudden
resolution he snatched the candle from the mantelpiece and held the flame
to White's finger. Then as he reeled back stupefied the footsteps again
became audible.

He stood with the candle in his shaking hand listening. He heard them
ascending the farther staircase, but they stopped suddenly as he went to
the door. He walked a little way along the passage, and they went
scurrying down the stairs and then at a jog-trot along the corridor
below. He went back to the main staircase, and they ceased again.

For a time he hung over the balusters, listening and trying to pierce the
blackness below; then slowly, step by step, he made his way downstairs,
and, holding the candle above his head, peered about him.

"Barnes!" he called. "Where are you?" Shaking with fright, he made his
way along the passage, and summoning up all his courage pushed open doors
and gazed fearfully into empty rooms. Then, quite suddenly, he heard the
footsteps in front of him.

He followed slowly for fear of extinguishing the candle, until they led
him at last into a vast bare kitchen with damp walls and a broken floor.
In front of him a