n acting in concert might
have lifted it bodily off the floor, or have jammed it into a corner.
But few human heads are capable of remaining cool under excitement.
Those who are not present think how stupid must have been those who
were; those who are reflect afterwards how simple it would have been to
do this, that, or the other, if only they had thought of it at the time.

"The women grew hysterical. The men shouted contradictory directions to
one another. Two of them made a bungling rush at the figure, which had
the result of forcing it out of its orbit in the centre of the room, and
sending it crashing against the walls and furniture. A stream of blood
showed itself down the girl's white frock, and followed her along the
floor. The affair was becoming horrible. The women rushed screaming from
the room. The men followed them.

"One sensible suggestion was made: 'Find Geibel--fetch Geibel.'

"No one had noticed him leave the room, no one knew where he was. A
party went in search of him. The others, too unnerved to go back into
the ball-room, crowded outside the door and listened. They could hear
the steady whir of the wheels upon the polished floor as the thing spun
round and round; the dull thud as every now and again it dashed itself
and its burden against some opposing object and ricocheted off in a new
direction.

"And everlastingly it talked in that thin ghostly voice, repeating over
and over the same formula: 'How charming you are looking to-night. What
a lovely day it has been. Oh, don't be so cruel. I could go on dancing
for ever--with you. Have you had supper?'

"Of course they sought for Geibel everywhere but where he was. They
looked in every room in the house, then they rushed off in a body to his
own place, and spent precious minutes in waking up his deaf old
housekeeper. At last it occurred to one of the party that Wenzel was
missing also, and then the idea of the counting-house across the yard
presented itself to them, and there they found him.

"He rose up, very pale, and followed them; and he and old Wenzel forced
their way through the crowd of guests gathered outside, and entered the
room, and locked the door behind them.

"From within there came the muffled sound of low voices and quick steps,
followed by a confused scuffling noise, then silence, then the low
voices again.

"After a time the door opened, and those near it pressed forward to
enter, but old Wenzel's broad shoulders barred the