"That doesn't matter," Sir Eldred said sternly. "It is my wish. Come, if you talk like that, I shall begin to think you are both afraid. We will arrange ourselves round the fireplace. I've an idea that whatever comes will come down the chimney. You sit there, Parry, next to Mr. Anderson. Mrs. Parry shall sit by me." And without further to do he pushed them both into their seats. I could see they were very much agitated, but they both lapsed into silence, and for some considerable time no one in the room spoke. My thoughts, as I presumed did Sir Eldred's, chiefly centred round the question as to what was the great surprise Vane had in store for us. What had he discovered? What had he been so carefully plotting with Craddock? On flew the minutes, and at last Sir Eldred struck a match; for the moon was temporarily hidden by big, black, scouring clouds. "Egad!" he said, "It's close on two. The hour fatal to my family. If anything is going to happen to-night it should take place almost immediately." "If I was you, sir," Mrs. Parry burst out, "I wouldn't sit up any longer. I feel sure nothing will happen to-night, and if it does, our being here can do no good." "That's the truth," Parry echoed. "You must wait a little longer," Sir Eldred said. "See, it's almost on the stroke!" As he spoke, the moon shone out again in all her brilliant lustre, and every object in the room became clearly visible. Every eye was fixed on the clock. "I'm going," Mrs. Parry cried, springing to her feet. "I'm going, Sir Eldred, if you give me notice to leave. I've had enough of this nonsense." She was about to add more, when there was a sudden click, exactly similar to the click we had heard the preceding night, the dome-shaped top of the clock flew open, and the smell of something burning, but a far sweeter and more subtle odour than that of the night before, filled the room. In an instant the whole place was in an uproar. Mrs. Parry shrieked for help, and declared she was being choked, whilst Parry, falling on his knees, clutched hold of Sir Eldred and implored his forgiveness. "Now I'm about to die, sir," he whined, "I'll confess all. It's that cousin of yours, George, who you never heard tell of. He's married to my daughter Effie, and he wanted to come into your property. He put us up to it; we only acted at his bidding."