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 door leading into an inside room had just closed.  He ran towards it and flung it open, and a cold air blew out the candle.  He stood aghast.

[Illustration:  “Into a vast bare kitchen with damp walls and a broken floor.”]

“Barnes!” he cried again.  “Don’t be afraid!  It is I—­Meagle!”

There was no answer.  He stood gazing into the darkness, and all the time the idea of something close at hand watching was upon him.  Then suddenly the steps broke out overhead again.

He drew back hastily, and passing through the kitchen groped his way along the narrow passages.  He could now see better in the darkness, and finding himself at last at the foot of the staircase began to ascend it noiselessly.  He reached the landing just in time to see a figure disappear round the angle of a wall.  Still careful to make no noise, he followed the sound of the steps until they led him to the top floor, and he cornered the chase at the end of a short passage.