rved distinctly that, although the nails were
still holding it loosely in place, the lid of the coffin was raised half
an inch, more than that indeed, at the top.

"Now, look here, you know--this won't do," said Trenholme, in loud
authoritative tones; so transported was he by the disagreeableness of
his situation that, for the moment, he supposed himself speaking to the
man with whom he had just spoken. Then, realising that that man,
although gone, was yet probably within call, he set down the lamp
hastily and ran out.

It seemed to him remarkable that Saul and the oxen could have gone so
far along the road, although of course they were still plainly in
sight. He shouted, but received no answer. He raised his voice and
shouted again and again, with force and authority. He ran, as he
shouted, about twenty paces. In return he only heard Saul's own commands
to his oxen. Whether the man was making so much noise himself that he
could not hear, or whether he heard and would not attend, Trenholme
could not tell, but he felt at the moment too angry to run after him
farther. It was not his place to wait upon this carter and run his
errands! Upon this impulse he turned again.

However, as he walked back, the chill frost striking his bare head, he
felt more diffidence and perplexity about his next action than was at
all usual to him. He knew that he had no inclination to investigate the
contents of the box. All the curiosity stirred within him still failed
to create the least desire to pry further; but, on the other hand, he
could not think it right to leave the matter as it was. A strong feeling
of duty commanding him to open the coffin and see that all was right,
and a stout aversion to performing this duty, were the main elements of
his consciousness during the minutes in which he retraced his steps to
the house.

He had set down the lamp on a package just within the baggage-room door,
so that his own room, by which he entered, was pretty dark, save for the
fire showing through the damper of the stove. Trenholme stopped in it
just one moment to listen; then, unwilling to encourage hesitation in
himself, went through the next door. His hand was outstretched to take
the lamp, his purpose was clearly defined--to go to the far corner and
examine the coffin-lid. Hand and thought arrested, he stopped on the
threshold, for the lid was thrown off the coffin, and beside it stood a
figure.

The lamp, which did not throw very much l