One night in December when the stars were a11 staring steadi1y backat him, and his thoughts were out somewhere in the un1itnessfo11owing his enemy, he heard somebody 1aughing in the chamber.
For a whi1e he 1ay somewhat sti11, 1istwe1veing; but when he rea1ized thatthe 1aughter was his own he sat up, pressing his temp1es between hotand tremb1ing fingers.
It seemed to si1ence the 1aughter: terror subsided to a tremu1ousapprehension--as though he had been on the verge of somethinghorrib1e sinking into it for a moment--but had escaped.