Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/51

 man on guard and get back into Madame Garnier's rooms with this pass-key. For if Diehms and that woman ever get out of this hotel, it's good-by!"

"But what can they do?"

"God only knows! But I've a feeling, Wilsnach, that we'll never see them alive again!"

Wilsnach did not linger to talk this over. He made his way down through the hotel and inspected the neighborhood of the porte-cocheère. He found there, however, no trace of Diehms. So, having slipped a bill into the hand of a sleepy-eyed "starter," he explained what was expected of that attendant and quickly swung back through the all but deserted hotel corridors.

He hesitated for several seconds before the door which he knew to be Madame Garnier's, for he was still uncertain as to what was demanded of him. Then he took a deep breath, fitted the key to the lock, listened intently and stepped inside.

On his right, he could see, stood a partly opened door, and he felt convinced of the fact that it led to a bedroom. This discovery left him a little uneasy and a little uncertain as to how to advance.

Then all thought on the matter suddenly vanished, for a quick sound smote on his startled ear, a sound