Meagle shook his head, and they stood for some time in uneasy silence.  “May as well shut the door,” said Barnes at last.

He crossed over and closed it gently.  Then at a scuffling noise behind him he turned and saw Meagle in a heap on the hearthstone.

With a sharp catch in his breath he stood motionless.  Inside the room the candle, fluttering in the draught, showed dimly the grotesque attitudes of the sleepers.  Beyond the door there seemed to his over-wrought imagination a strange and stealthy unrest.  He tried to whistle, but his lips were parched, and in a mechanical fashion he stooped, and began to pick up the cards which littered the floor.

He stopped once or twice and stood with bent head listening.  The unrest outside seemed to increase; a loud creaking sounded from the stairs.

“Who is there?” he cried loudly.

The creaking ceased.  He crossed to the door and flinging it open, strode out into the corridor.  As he walked his fears left him suddenly.

“Come on!” he cried with a low laugh.  “All of you!  All of you!  Show your faces—­your infernal ugly faces!  Don’t skulk!”

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.