"Now, Mr Hampton," he said, "if my suspicions are right, there are no bottles behind there, but--what we seek." "Then, in heaven's name, sir, satisfy yourself, and let's end--Good God!" He started back, clapping the handkerchief he held to his nose and mouth, as George Harrington thrust his arm through the opening, and drew back a handful of lime, while the dog uttered a hoarse, low growl, and a horrible odour slowly made its way into the cellar where they stood. Then they started towards the door, for the dog leaped up, barking furiously, as distant cries were heard, sounding muffled and strange, and they could distinguish their names. By the time they reached the opening George Harrington had first made, the dog was through, and George followed, thrusting his hand back to take the candle. "Come along, sir, quick!" he said, "and mind the ladies are not told-- yet." The old lawyer crept through trembling, the cries being plain now those of appeals for help, the dog's loud barking adding to the excitement, as he stood by the inner door. But George Harrington did not lose his head. He threw open the inner door, and passed through the first. "Now close and lock that, sir," he said, as he laid his hand on the key in the outer door. "Down, Bruno!" he cried in a deep, threatening tone, as the inner door was locked. "Watch, sir. Watch!" The dog responded with a threatening growl, and tore at the outer door. "Be ready to slip out, sir. I'll follow, but this brute must not come. He must be locked in this place." "Yes; I understand," groaned the old man, who was trembling, and looked a pitiable spectacle, with his white face, and his evening dress covered with lime and whitewash. "Down, Bruno! Watch?" roared George, as he unlocked the outer door and drew out the key. The dog growled but obeyed, the door was opened enough to let the lawyer pass through, and as he did the cries without sounded terrible, and nearly maddened the dog, who once more sprang at the door. But George seized him by the collar, dragged him back, there was a brief struggle, and he managed to hurl him into a corner, and slip through the door, locking it as he banged it to, and then placing the key in his pocket, he ran through the baize door to where a terrible struggle was going on between Saul Harrington and the doctor, while Mrs Hampton and Gertrude were making the place echo with their appeals for help. Stirred to the heart by the position in which he saw his old friend, Mr Hampton had rushed to his assistance, but Saul Harrington in his wild fit of delirium made naught of their joint efforts, and was in the act of dashing them off as George Harrington appeared at the study door, and confronted the wretched maniac, who leaped at him with a howl that did not seem human.