FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53  
54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   >>   >|  
ry that had been with us all the time; but a new feeling, as if there were something going to happen any moment. "Abruptly, there came a slight noise from the east end of the hall, and I felt the star of men move suddenly. 'Steady! Keep steady!' I shouted, and they quietened. I looked up the hall, and saw that the dogs were upon their feet, and staring in an extraordinary fashion toward the great entrance. I turned and stared, also, and felt the men move as they craned their heads to look. Suddenly, the dogs set up a tremendous barking, and I glanced across to them, and found they were still 'pointing' for the big doorway. They ceased their noise just as quickly, and seemed to be listening. In the same instant, I heard a faint chink of metal to my left, that set me staring at the hook which held the great door wide. It moved, even as I looked. Some invisible thing was meddling with it. A queer, sickening thrill went through me, and I felt all the men about me, stiffen and go rigid with intensity. I had a certainty of something impending: as it might be the impression of an invisible, but overwhelming, Presence. The hall was full of a queer silence, and not a sound came from the dogs. _Then I saw the hook slowly raised from out of its hasp, without any visible thing touching it._ Then a sudden power of movement came to me. I raised my camera, with the flashlight fixed, and snapped it at the door. There came the great blare of the flashlight, and a simultaneous roar of barking from the two dogs. "The intensity of the flash made all the place seem dark for some moments, and in that time of darkness, I heard a jingle in the direction of the door, and strained to look. The effect of the bright light passed, and I could see clearly again. The great entrance door was being slowly closed. It shut with a sharp snick, and there followed a long silence, broken only by the whimpering of the dogs. "I turned suddenly, and looked at Wentworth. He was looking at me. "'Just as it did before,' he whispered. "'Most extraordinary,' I said, and he nodded and looked 'round, nervously. "The policemen were pretty quiet, and I judged that they were feeling rather worse than Wentworth; though, for that matter, you must not think that I was altogether natural; yet I have seen so much that is extraordinary, that I daresay I can keep my nerves steady longer than most people. "I looked over my shoulder at the men, and cautioned them,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53  
54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
looked
 

extraordinary

 

turned

 

entrance

 

barking

 
raised
 
slowly
 

flashlight

 

Wentworth

 
invisible

silence

 

intensity

 
suddenly
 

feeling

 

staring

 
steady
 

passed

 
strained
 

effect

 
bright

broken

 

closed

 

direction

 
jingle
 
cautioned
 

snapped

 

simultaneous

 
moments
 
darkness
 

people


shoulder

 
matter
 

judged

 

altogether

 
daresay
 

natural

 

pretty

 

whimpering

 

longer

 
whispered

nervously

 
policemen
 

nodded

 

nerves

 

visible

 

Steady

 

listening

 

quickly

 

ceased

 
instant