the bedroom door and shouted to him to bring out a lamp, _quick_; but
instead something started to kick the door and I heard the Captain
shouting within the bedroom and then the screaming of the women. I had a
sudden horrible fear that the monster had got into the bedroom, but in
the same instant from up the corridor there came abruptly the vile,
gobbling neighing that we had heard in the park and the cellar. I blew
the whistle again and groped blindly for the bell cord, shouting to
Beaumont to stay in the Pentacle, whatever happened. I yelled again to
the Captain to bring out a lamp and there came a smashing sound against
the bedroom door. Then I had my matches in my hand, to get some light
before that incredible, unseen Monster was upon us.

"The match scraped on the box and flared up dully and in the same instant
I heard a faint sound behind me. I whipped 'round in a kind of mad terror
and saw something in the light of the match--a monstrous horse-head close
to Beaumont.

"'Look out, Beaumont!' I shouted in a sort of scream. 'It's behind you!'

"The match went out abruptly and instantly there came the huge bang of
Parsket's double-barrel (both barrels at once), fired evidently
single-handed by Beaumont close to my ear, as it seemed. I caught a
momentary glimpse of the great head in the flash and of an enormous hoof
amid the belch of fire and smoke seeming to be descending upon Beaumont.
In the same instant I fired three chambers of my revolver. There was the
sound of a dull blow and then that horrible, gobbling neigh broke out
close to me. I fired twice at the sound. Immediately afterward something
struck me and I was knocked backward. I got on to my knees and shouted
for help at the top of my voice. I heard the women screaming behind the
closed door of the bedroom and was dully aware that the door was being