The Siege of Kemp’s House

           Kempreadastrangemissive,writteninpencilonagreasysheetofpaper. 

           "Youhavebeenamazinglyenergeticandclever,"thisletterran,"thoughwhatyoustandtogainbyitIcannotimagine. Youareagainstme. Forawholedayyouhavechasedme;youhavetriedtorobmeofanight'srest. ButIhavehadfoodinspiteofyou,Ihavesleptinspiteofyou,andthegameisonlybeginning. Thegameisonlybeginning. Thereisnothingforit,buttostarttheTerror. ThisannouncesthefirstdayoftheTerror. PortBurdockisnolongerundertheQueen,tellyourColonelofPolice,andtherestofthem;itisunderme—theTerror! Thisisdayoneofyearoneofthenewepoch—theEpochoftheInvisibleMan. IamInvisibleMantheFirst. Tobeginwiththerulewillbeeasy. Thefirstdaytherewillbeoneexecutionforthesakeofexample—amannamedKemp. Deathstartsforhimto-day. Hemaylockhimselfaway,hidehimselfaway,getguardsabouthim,putonarmourifhelikes—Death,theunseenDeath,iscoming. Lethimtakeprecautions;itwillimpressmypeople. Deathstartsfromthepillarboxbymidday. Theletterwillfallinasthepostmancomesalong,thenoff!Thegamebegins. Deathstarts. Helphimnot,mypeople,lestDeathfalluponyoualso.To-dayKempistodie." 

           Kempreadthislettertwice,"It'snohoax,"hesaid. "That'shisvoice!Andhemeansit." 

           HeturnedthefoldedsheetoverandsawontheaddressedsideofitthepostmarkHintondean,andtheprosaicdetail"2d.topay."