Page:James - Ghost Stories of an Antiquary .djvu/171

144 of description and explanation, which did not at all tend to encourage them for the fray.

The men dropped the crowbars they brought, and said flatly that they were going to risk their throats in that devil's den. The landlord was miserably nervous and decided, conscious that if the danger were faced his hotel was ruined, and very loath to face it himself. Luckily Anderson hit upon; way of rallying the demoralized force.

'Is this,' he said, 'the Danish courage I heard so much of? It isn't a German in the and if it was, we are five to one.'

The two servants and Jensen were stung action by this, and made a dash at the door.

'Stop!' said Anderson. 'Don't lose your heads. You stay out here with the light, landlord, and one of you two men break the door, and don't go in when it gives way.'

The men nodded, and the younger stepped forward, raised his crowbar, and dealt tremendous blow on the upper panel. The result was not in the least what any of them anticipated. There was no cracking or rending