led the wick. Then he held up the lamp, and they saw
Arthur looking at them. His face was ghastly. The sweat ran off his
forehead in great beads, and his eyes were bloodshot. He trembled in
every limb. Then Dr Porhoet advanced with the lamp and held it forward.
They looked down on the floor for the man who lay there dead. Susie gave
a sudden cry of horror.

There was no one there.

Arthur stepped back in terrified surprise. There was no one in the room,
living or dead, but the three friends. The ground sank under Susie's
feet, she felt horribly ill, and she fainted. When she awoke, seeming
difficultly to emerge from an eternal night, Arthur was holding down her
head.

'Bend down,' he said. 'Bend down.'

All that had happened came back to her, and she burst into tears. Her
self-control deserted her, and, clinging to him for protection, she
sobbed as though her heart would break. She was shaking from head to
foot. The strangeness of this last horror had overcome her, and she could
have shrieked with fright.

'It's all right,' he said. 'You need not be afraid.'

'Oh, what does it mean?'

'You must pluck up courage. We're going now to Skene.'

She sprang to her feet, as though to get away from him; her heart beat
wildly.

'No, I can't; I'm frightened.'

'We must see what it means. We have no time to lose, or the morning will
be upon us before we get back.'

Then she sought to prevent him.

'Oh, for God's sake, don't go, Arthur. Something awful may await you
there. Don't risk your life.'

'There is no danger. I tell you the man is dead.'

'If anything happened to you ...'

She stopped, trying to restrain her sobs; she dared not go on. But he
seemed to know what was in her mind.

'I will take no risks, because of you. I know that whether I live or die
is not a--matter of indifference to you.'

She looked up and saw that his eyes were fixed upon her gravely. She
reddened. A curious feeling came into her heart.

'I will go with you wherever you choose,' she said humbly.

'Come, then.'

They stepped out into the night. And now, without rain, the storm had
passed away, and the stars were shining. They walked quickly. Arthur
went in front of them. Dr Porhoet and Susie followed him, side by side,
and they had to hasten their steps in order not to be left behind. It
seemed to them that the horror of the night was passed, and there was
a fragrancy in the air which was wonderfully refreshing. The sky was
be