Tales of Terror and Mystery

           "It’she!"

           "SirThomas?"

           "Yes."

           "Whatdoeshewant?"

           "Hush!DonothinguntilItellyou."

           Iwasconsciousnowthatsomeonewastryingthedoor.Therewasthefaintestlittlerattlefromthehandle,andthenIdimlysawathinslitofsubduedlight.Therewasalampburningsomewherefardownthepassage,anditjustsufficedtomaketheoutsidevisiblefromthedarknessofourroom.Thegreyishslitgrewbroaderandbroader,verygradually,verygently,andthenoutlinedagainstitIsawthedarkfigureofaman.Hewassquatandcrouching,withthesilhouetteofabulkyandmisshapendwarf.Slowlythedoorswungopenwiththisominousshapeframedinthecentreofit.Andthen,inaninstant,thecrouchingfigureshotup,therewasatigerspringacrosstheroomandthud,thud,thud,camethreetremendousblowsfromsomeheavyobjectuponthebed.

           IwassoparalysedwithamazementthatIstoodmotionlessandstaringuntilIwasarousedbyayellforhelpfrommycompanion.Theopendoorshedenoughlightformetoseetheoutlineofthings,andtherewaslittleLordLinchmerewithhisarmsroundtheneckofhisbrother-in-law,holdingbravelyontohimlikeagamebull-terrierwithitsteethintoagauntdeerhound.Thetall,bonymandashedhimselfabout,writhingroundandroundtogetagripuponhisassailant;buttheother,clutchingonfrombehind,stillkepthishold,thoughhisshrill,frightenedcriesshowedhowunequalhefeltthecontesttobe.Isprangtotherescue,andthetwoofusmanagedtothrowSirThomastotheground,thoughhemadehisteethmeetinmyshoulder.