Part 2 (1/2)

Suddenly he spoke, though in a whisper.

”You see it, sister, I know you do,” he said.

”Wait, wait a minute, dear,” I managed to reply in the same tone, though I could not have explained why I waited.

Dormer had said that after a time--after the ghastly and apparently fruitless _feeling_ all over the door--”it”--”went out”.

I think it was this that I was waiting for. It was not quite as he had said. The door was in the extreme corner of the wall, the hinges almost in the angle, and as the shadow began to move on again, it _looked_ as if it disappeared; but no, it was only fainter. My eyes, preternaturally sharpened by my intense gaze, still saw it, working its way round the corner, as a.s.suredly no _shadow_ in the real sense of the word ever did nor could do. I realised this, and the sense of horror grew all but intolerable; yet I stood still, clasping the cold little hand in mine tighter and tighter. And an instinct of protection of the child gave me strength. Besides, it was coming on so quickly--we could not have escaped--it was coming, nay, it _was behind_ us.

”Leila!” gasped Dormy, ”the cold--you feel it now?”

Yes, truly--like no icy breath that I had ever felt before was that momentary but horrible thrill of utter cold. If it had lasted another second I think it would have killed us both. But, mercifully, it pa.s.sed, in far less time than it has taken me to tell it, and then we seemed in some strange way to be released.

”Open your eyes, Dormy,” I said, ”you won't see anything, I promise you.

I want to rush across to the dining-room.”

He obeyed me. I felt there was time to escape before that awful presence would again have arrived at the dining-room door, though it was _coming_--ah, yes, it was coming, steadily pursuing its ghastly round.

And, alas! the dining-room door was closed. But I kept my nerve to some extent. I turned the handle without over much trembling, and in another moment, the door shut and locked behind us, we stood in safety, looking at each other, in the bright cheerful room we had left so short a time ago.

_Was_ it so short a time? I said to myself. It seemed hours!

And through the door open to the hall came at that moment the sound of cheerful laughing voices from the drawing-room. Some one was coming out. It seemed impossible, incredible, that within a few feet of the matter-of-fact pleasant material life, this horrible inexplicable drama should be going on, as doubtless it still was.

Of the two I was now more upset than my little brother. I was older and ”took in” more. He, boy-like, was in a sense triumphant at having proved himself correct and no coward, and though he was still pale, his eyes shone with excitement and a queer kind of satisfaction.

But before we had done more than look at each other, a figure appeared at the open doorway. It was Sophy.

”Leila,” she said, ”mamma wants to know what you are doing with Dormy?

He is to go to bed at once. We saw you go out of the room after him, and then a door banged. Mamma says if you are playing with him it's very bad for him so late at night.”

Dormy was very quick. He was still holding my hand, and he pinched it to stop my replying.

”Rubbis.h.!.+” he said. ”I am speaking to Leila quietly, and she is coming up to my room while I undress. Good night, Sophy.”

”Tell mamma Dormy really wants me,” I added, and then Sophy departed.

”We musn't tell _her_, Leila,” said the boy. ”She'd have 'sterics.”

”Whom shall we tell?” I said, for I was beginning to feel very helpless and upset.

”n.o.body, to-night,” he replied sensibly. ”You _mustn't_ go in there,”

and he s.h.i.+vered a little as he moved his head towards the gallery; ”you're not fit for it, and they'd be wanting you to. Wait till the morning and then I'd--I think I'd tell Philip first. You needn't be frightened to-night, sister. It won't stop you sleeping. It didn't me the time I saw it before.”

He was right. I slept dreamlessly. It was as if the intense nervous strain of those few minutes had utterly exhausted me.

PART II.

Phil is our soldier brother. And there is nothing fanciful about _him_!