I struggled hard, and, at last, overcoming the feeling of utter helplessness that had begun to steal over me, rushed to the windows. Frantically throwing them open, I was preparing to do the same to the door, when a low, ominous wail, sounding at first from very far away, and then all of a sudden from quite close at hand, brought me to a standstill, and the whole room suddenly became illuminated with a glow, of a shade and intensity of green I have never seen before. Again there came an awful struggle. I felt eyes glaring at me, eyes that belonged to something of infinite hideousness and hate, to something that was concentrating its very hardest to make--to force--me to look; and it was only by an effort that smothered my chest and forehead in beads of cold sweat I desisted. Groping my way across the room, with my eyes tightly closed, I eventually reached the sofa. Thank God! Sir Eldred was still asleep. Tired with a day's hard exercise, he had fallen into the soundest of slumbers. Putting one hand over his eyes, and seizing him by the shoulder with the other, I speedily roused him. "Quick, quick!" I shouted. "For the love of God get up quick! Keep your mouth tightly shut and follow me." Pushing and dragging him along, I made for the direction of the door. The poison fumes now began to take effect; my temples throbbed, my brain was on fire, a tight, agonising feeling of suffocation gripped my chest and throat, and, as I staggered with Sir Eldred across the threshold on to the landing beyond, a sea of blackness suddenly enveloped me, and I knew no more. * * * * * On coming to, I found myself lying on the floor of the corridor with Vane bending over me. "I was just in time," he said. "I saw you at the window, saw you suddenly throw up your arms and stagger away from it, and, guessing what was happening, I ran to the house and, climbing up the rope you had left hanging out of your window, I managed to reach you." "Sir Eldred?" I panted. "Oh, he's all right," Vane replied. "He wasn't really so far gone as you. A few minutes more, though, and you would both have been dead. Now keep cool and don't say anything about it. As soon as the air has cleared--quite cleared mind--go to bed, and come down in the morning as if nothing had happened. Fortunately you made no noise, and I feel sure no one saw me enter the house. If you will let me take the lead in this affair, I think we may ferret the whole thing out. But we must go carefully. You don't mind my playing the part of instructor?" "No," I laughed, "I don't mind how despotic you are so long as we get to the bottom of this mystery. Fire ahead." "Very well then," Vane said. "Get up now and hurry off to bed. And remember--both of you--not a word to anyone." Vaulting on to the window-sill as he spoke, he caught hold of the rope and was speedily lost to view.