Page:The Death-Doctor.djvu/201

Rh door, and as I said "Come, Miss Nanson, let us see what it is," I put my hand on the girl's shoulder, and told her to find the coachman and send him upstairs to me.

All was quiet as we started to go to the invalid's room, but when we got nearer to it, a low, fiendish, blood-curdling chuckle made us stand for a moment and listen.

The girl clutched tight hold of my arm. "I'm frightened, doctor. Oh, I'm so frightened," she said in a low, trembling voice; "something awful has happened."

I had an idea of what I should see, but, good God! I never in all my life saw anything quite so repulsive and loathsome.

One glance, and I stepped back, closing the door as I did so.

"Go downstairs, Miss Lucy," I said; "I will look after things, and see to your father, but this is no sight for you."

She went, and on the stairs passed the square-jawed, strongly-built coachman for whom I had sent.

He did not look any too happy as I told him to follow me, and when he entered his master's bedroom behind me I thought he would have collapsed.

Lying on his back with his head towards the