"I must call help--call help!" whispered the young man, whose face was now ghastly; but though there were bells that might have been rung and people were within call, he only crept along the passage, without attempting to touch the fallen man, pushed the spring-door gently, so that it should make no noise, closed it again, stood listening, and then, in the midst of the dead silence, stole on tip-toe up the grand staircase to his bedroom, where he once more stopped to listen, and then crept softly in and closed the door. The silence in the old Hall was as that of death for a few moments, before it was broken by a faint click, as of the bolt of a lock just shot. Once more silence, and then on the dim staircase there was a musical purring noise, followed by the pleasant chimes of a clock, which rang out the half-hour after midnight. Then once again the stillness as of death. CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. SMITH FINDS SOMETHING WRONG. "You heard nothing?" said the doctor. "Nothing at all. I went to bed at the usual time, sir," said the butler--"half-past ten--yes, sir, I've the chaise waiting; won't you come in that, and I can tell you as we drive over?" "Yes; all right," said the doctor, and five minutes later they were rattling along the road towards the Hall. "Now, go on," said North. "Yes, sir; I went to bed as usual, and slept very soundly till about an hour ago, and then I suddenly woke. I don't know what made me wake; but I did, and somehow began thinking, as I've often thought before, about the plate in the pantry, and whether it was safe." "Don't you sleep in the pantry?" "No, sir; it's so damp. So I lay telling myself it was all nonsense and fancy; but the more I thought so, the more uncomfortable I grew, till I could stand it no longer, and I got up, slipped on my trousers and great-coat, and went to the top of the stairs, where I felt quite a chill, as I knew something was not as it should be, for the lamp was not turned out on the hall table." "What lamp?" "The hall lamp that Sir Luke always puts out himself when he goes up to bed." "Where do you say you left him last night?" "In the billiard-room, sir, playing with Mr Tom, sir." "Yes; go on." "So I went down, sir; and there saw through the baize door that the lamp was burning at the end of the passage at the foot of the billiard-room stairs." "Yes." "And as soon as I got through the baize door, there, under the lamp, lay my poor master, all like of a heap." "What did you do?" "Ran to him, and tried to put him in a more comfortable position, sir; but--" "Yes; I understand." "Then I rushed up and called Mr Tom, sir; and we went to the squire together, and rang the bells and alarmed the house. Then, as soon as the boy had put the horse in the chaise, sir, I drove over to fetch you." "But did you do nothing to try and revive him?" "Oh! yes, sir; but--" "I understand," said the doctor. "And Mr Tom?"