“I felt that something must be done, and soon, or I should be in no state to accomplish it.  If Nan would not go, I must:  when we had the light half our trouble would be over, and, after all, she might have been mistaken.

“‘Did the door move?’ I ventured to ask.

“’No, it didn’t do anything—­at least I don’t think it did—­but it looked so awful that it frightened me.’

“‘That light in there may set something on fire,’ I remarked.

“‘Go fetch it:  it will only take you a minute.  Do go!’

“‘You are sure the door didn’t open?’ I asked, far from liking my task.

“‘I will go with you half-way,’ she volunteered, ’and stand there while you run in quick.  Come on, and don’t let us talk any more about it:  we shall only get more and more frightened.’  You will see that Annie’s gifts lay more in persuasion than in action.

“Thus adjured, I went with her to the communicating door, cautiously listened, then looked through the keyhole.  The silence within was oppressive, but the flickering bougie warned me that I must make an effort, and without allowing myself time to think I hastily turned the key and opened the door.

“At that moment it seemed to me that I heard distant footsteps.  I rushed for the light and turned to go back, when I ran against some one:  the candle was extinguished by being jerked from the holder to the floor, and a hand which I vainly tried to shake off clasped my arm.  My blood grew thick and still with sudden terror.  I tried to speak, but could not.  What increased my dread was that I could not tell whether the Thing by my side was a reality or a spectre.  I had caught a glimpse of something white as the light disappeared, and I believe that a pistol at my head would have caused me less alarm than this horrible idea of the supernatural.  I began to feel that I could endure it no longer, that I should stifle, should die, when Annie’s voice spoke in the darkness quite near, and I found it was she who had grasped my arm.

“‘I could not stay in that room alone,’ she whispered.  ’Don’t you hear?—­footsteps! They are coming.’

“‘You have half frightened me to death,’ I murmured trembling:  ’I thought you were something.’

“‘No, I ain’t anything, but something is coming.  Don’t you hear?’

“It was true enough.  Through the quiet of the house came stealthy footsteps.  Nearer, nearer.  They were ascending the stairs, at times delaying an instant, as if groping for the way, then on.

“‘Come into your room,’ said Annie convulsively:  ’come, and we can lock ourselves in.  Oh, where is your door?  I cannot find it, and they are coming.  What shall we do? what shall we do?’

“We were in total darkness:  not a ray of light came from the window, and in our confusion we had lost our bearings.  Neither of us had the least idea in what direction the other room lay.