He crept to the door, hoping to pass it before the thing inside became
aware of his presence. Something crept stealthily about the room. With
a sudden impulse he caught the handle of the door, and, closing it
violently, turned the key in the lock, and ran madly down the stairs.

A fearful cry sounded from the room, and a heavy hand beat upon the
panels of the door. The house rang with the blows, but above them
sounded the loud hoarse cries of human fear. Burleigh, half-way down to
the hall, stopped with his hand on the balustrade and listened. The
beating ceased, and a man's voice cried out loudly for God's sake to let
him out.

At once Burleigh saw what had happened and what it might mean for him.
He had left the hall door open after his visit to the front, and some
wandering bird of the night had entered the house. No need for him to go
now. No need to hide either from the hangman's rope or the felon's cell.
The fool above had saved him. He turned and ran up stairs again just as
the prisoner in his furious efforts to escape wrenched the handle from
the door.

"Who's there?" he cried, loudly.

"Let me out!" cried a frantic voice. "For God's sake, open the door!
There's something here."

"Stay where you are!" shouted Burleigh, sternly. "Stay where you are!
If you come out, I'll shoot you like a dog!"

The only response was a smashing blow on the lock of the door. Burleigh