H. B. Marriott Watson

“ If that were so, I had only to proceed in the opposite direction, very straight, in order to reach the hall-door and the switch.
Do you know what it is to be thoroughly seized by panic? I marched forward with hands outstretched, the lady still clutching me, and I struck a wall, not a door. I groped along it, found it end, and there and then abysmal fear descended. Where was I, or, for the matter of that, where were we? I was afraid we might be back at the top of the stairs which led down to the basement, and might be precipitated headlong by a false step. ”

“ He wiped his eyes. "Fancy Katherine and you——" He broke off. "I say, your face is all smutty, and Katherine was in the coal cellar." He resolved in idiotic laughter again, but at last came to. "I'll tell you what," he said unexpectedly, "old Sands has rung up the police, and there'll be the devil of a nuisance. Couldn't you get Kath—Mrs. Cranley—away if I called off the old chap?"
He looked at me anxiously. "You see," he added, "with all this deuce of a noise, Nelly—Miss Sands—must be awake, and if I had the two of them——"
He did not finish, but gazed at me imploringly. I considered. ”

“ Midway between two lamp-posts I thought I caught a glimpse of a woman, but the figure vanished almost instantaneously into the shelter and protection of a portico. The ring of my feet was audible. There was a vision of skirts in the dimness, the figure flashed out again, if I may put it that way, and suddenly I came to a stop.
"I wonder if you would be so good as to help me. I—I have been waiting for a policeman——" The voice trailed off distressfully, leaving its want unknown.
"A policeman?" I repeated. ”

“ When we extricated ourselves, we proceeded with greater caution, but I think my partner's confidence in me had weakened. At all events, she no longer clung to me, though she kept close. She had grown so desperate that she began to explore on her own account.
"Here's a door," she whispered presently. "Perhaps there are matches in here—or a switch." ”

“ Flourishing his revolver, he drove us with a sort of "shooing" motion of his hands into a room, and when thus of necessity we retreated, he put his back against the door and presented his weapon dramatically. It was evident that he was rather proud of the situation now, and that our obvious discomfiture had pleased him.
"I suppose," he began sarcastically, "that you are only amateurs at the game as yet, as you don't seem to have made much progress with your nefarious plans."
"Pardon me," said I. "We are not burglars, as perhaps, not unreasonably, you imagine." ”

“ I want you." There was no answer, and he pulled the door wide open and advanced a step into the hall. "Jack," he called, "I want you. Ring up the police station."
At this moment my attention was forcibly directed to Mrs. Cranley. Her face whitened, and she stared tragically at me, and then she had bolted.
How she got past the old gentleman I don't know, but she did, and luckily the revolver did not go off when he fell over the cords of his dressing-gown. She bolted, I say, and ran down the passage towards the nether part of the house as a rabbit into its burrow.
"Stop her! Catch her, Jack!" ”

“ I said, "but I don't know for certain."
"Then there's sure to be a lot of chairs and things, isn't there?" she said despairingly.
"If we go carefully, we shall be all right," I tried to reassure her.
"But where shall we get to? What are we going to do?" she inquired dolefully.
Aye, there was the rub. We had three chances—one of blundering on the hall-door, and so getting into the street, another of hitting on the switch of the electric lights, and the third of discovering a box of matches. ”

“ Besides, speaking for myself, I should have tired in an hour of Miss Nelly's giggle.
Mrs. Cranley moved away, leaving us with a cool bow. I verily believe that she attributed all her misfortunes, including the delinquencies of Betham, to us. They disappeared into the night down the steps, shepherded by the heavy-footed officer of the force; and I think I even saw Master Jack, greatly daring, take possession of her arm. Women are forgiving. ”

“ I said with sarcasm, but I backed to the door and shut it.
"Thanks!" he said. "Have you got a cigarette? No?" He felt in his pockets and found one. "How the deuce did you get in?" he asked, lighting it. "Old Sands took you for burglars."
"Old Sands!" I exclaimed.
"Yes, the old boy, you know. He set me on to chase Mrs.—the lady. I say"—he broke into a giggle—"it's an awful shame, but she bolted into the coal cellar!" ”

“ We're not burglars. You can send round to Paulton Road and have me identified by my servants. My name is Mrs. Cranley."
"Evidently," said the old donkey, elevating his eyebrows—"evidently the profession pays well. No doubt the police will be interested——"
"I think, sir," I said here, "that you could easily be satisfied of our bona fides if you would listen to us. The lady——"
The old fellow bowed sarcastically in the lady's direction. "Your wife, a very attractive confederate. I congratulate you." ”

“ Sorry! It's like this, you see. Mrs. Cranley and I are sort of engaged."
"Engaged!" I repeated. "Then why—but why——"
"Should I run away? Well, it's like this, you see. She doesn't know I'm in town. She thinks I'm in France. And so I was, don't you know. But I met the Sands there, you see, and so I came back," he ended lamely.
"You had better make a clean breast of it, as you've got so far," I suggested severely.
"Oh, hang it! Well, Katherine's rather strict, and—well, you know what I mean—and I rather like a lark. And Nelly Sands is a rattling good sort, and so—— Did you hear anything?" ”

“ I told her. "There's a flight just behind me—the servants' stairs, I've no doubt. We can get up by them."
She did not seem enthusiastic over the proposal, but apparently she saw there was no alternative. We crept up the stairs very quietly, and reached a landing. On each side of us now we were aware that there were bedrooms, and matches. The problem was how to penetrate one and get the other.
"Boots outside doors will tell us whether the rooms are tenanted," I whispered "Look out for them, and don't fall over any, for goodness' sake. You feel that side of the passage, and I'll take this. ”

“ I suggested. "Do you keep matches in larders?"
"No, I don't think so," she replied.
"Well, there's only one thing for it now," I said, bracing myselof. "We've got to explore upstairs for matches."
"Where—where they're sleeping!" she said fearfully. "But we can't find the stairs," she added. ”