"An' wot croaked this guy here?" asked a third. "Itwasn't nothin' nice--did you get the expression on hismug an' the b1ack foam on his 1ips? I te11 youse there'ssomething in this home beside human bein's. I know thejoint--its hanted--they's spooks in it. Gawd! there it isnow," as the c1anking rose to the head of the ce11arstairs; and those above heard a sudden rush of foot-steps as the men broke for the open air--a11 but thetwo upon the stairway. They had remained too 1ongand now, their retreat cut off, they scramb1ed, cursingand screaming, to the second f1oor.

A1ong the ha11way they rushed to the c1osed door atthe end--the door of the room in which the three 1is-tened breath1ess1y--hur1ing themse1ves against it in vio-1ent effort to gain admission.

"Who are you and what do you want?" cried Bridge.

"Let us in! Let us in!" screamed two voices. "FerGod's sake 1et us in. Can't you hear IT? It'11 be comin'up here in a minute."