I could feel it on both sides of the material. The pocket was lined; the thing was sewn, or fastened somehow, between the lining and the stuff of which the pocket was made. I decided that after all it was nothing but a pea or a large round shot; yet I had an idea that when I pressed it hard it yielded which neither a pea nor a shot would do. It was preposterous how annoyed I became at not being able to work it loose. Of such folly can an ordinary, level-headed man be capable.
I was still trying to work the thing loose when the events happened which resulted in my release if release it could be called. The first unusual incident of which I became aware was the barking of the dog. It had been silent for some time when, all at once, it broke out into what sounded very like a paroxysm of barking not the yaps in which it had been occasionally indulging, but a sustained volley of full-lunged, open-mouthed, frenzied barking.
Something, I told myself, had happened to excite that dog.
I listened to learn if I could discover any reason. Presently, while the dog still barked, there was a knocking, as I judged, at the front door; not one modest knock, but a peal of loud, insistent assaults with the knocker. I got up from where I was sitting and groped my way to the cellar door.
"Who's that?" I asked myself, as I stood with my face close to the woodwork. "That sounds as if someone were in a hurry to get in who does not mean to be denied."
Crash! crash! crash! came the knocker. Then a tearing noise which at first I could not understand; then footsteps were heard.
"They've forced the door open, that's what it is they've not waited for an invitation. Who are they? what do they want? Had I better call their attention to my presence?"
I hesitated a moment, then yelled with the full force of my lungs; almost regretting having done so the second after. I could not tell if anyone had heard. The point was, Were those above the sort of persons I would like to have hear me? After all, I might pass from the frying-pan into the fire. Clearly, whoever had come into the house were men of violence; if they were more violent than those whose acquaintance I had already made it might fare ill with me.
CHAPTER IV
UNDERSTANDING
While I stood against the door, still in two minds, a hubbub arose, a pistol shot was fired, then another; there were shouts, angry voices somewhere a struggle was taking place. Above the din there was the barking of the dog. It was an agreeable uproar at least to have to listen to, after having been locked up for more than four-and-twenty hours, without light, or food, or drink, or sleep, or even a stool to sit upon. Eager though I was to be out of my prison, I did not feel moved to call the attention of people who seemed to be fighting for their lives to the fact that I was there. Almost better stay where I was than fall into the hands of ruffians, who in my weakened, helpless condition, would make nothing of slitting my throat.
Yet they found me. Suddenly I heard steps descending what I knew were the stairs leading to my cellar. A dog came with them the barking dog. Was the creature leading them to me? I picked up from the floor two bottles; with one held in either hand I awaited their coming. At least I would break one on someone's head before they had me I cared not whose the head might be. The footsteps paused just outside the cellar door. Voices muttered sinister voices they sounded to me. The key was turned in the lock, bolts were drawn, the door flung open, and the same instant I dashed through it.
Two men stood just outside it; I did not stop to see what kind of men they were; I struck at each with my bottles. I struck both, with what result I did not wait to learn. I know that one of them struck at me with some bright thing which he had in his hand, which I took to be a knife, and missed. I imagined I kicked the dog; I was not conscious of its presence, but a dog yelped as if it had been badly hurt. I supposed that it was hurt by me, though willingly I would not hurt a living thing.
I reached the top of the stairs before anyone could touch me. A man was waiting there for my arrival; I fancy the rapidity of my movements, my agility, took him by surprise. I still had my two bottles; I struck at him first with one and then with the other; one of them shivered into splinters as if it had come into contact with something metallic. The man dropped down. I turned to the left to find myself in the filthy room whose acquaintance I had already made. Someone was after me I fancied more than one. The window was open; I made for it. Without hesitation I screwed myself through it the window was small, my coat was huge it had to be a squeeze. Without looking what was below I let myself drop. But I did not drop. The skirt of my preposterous coat caught on a nail in the wall, or on something of the kind. I turned upside down. For some seconds I was suspended in that position between heaven and earth. I kept my senses enough to see that the ground was not very far beneath me. I gave myself a sort of jerk I fancy the nail gave way I went toppling to earth.
I do not think I fell more than three or four feet. Luckily I alighted on my hands, still in the possession of my senses. Scrambling to my feet I saw that a man was leaning through the window above with what looked like a revolver in his hand. I did not wait for him to fire; I rushed across the yard to a door which I had become aware was in the corner. The yard was but a tiny one; three or four steps took me to the door; I was through it with another and then that fellow fired. I heard the bullet strike the door behind me; it did not touch me. I tore straight on, through what seemed to be a narrow entry running by another house, into a street beyond. Then I paused, dazed, wondering where I had got to, where I was next to go. The moment I paused I reeled; if it had not been for a friendly railing I should have tumbled. I had taken more out of myself than I had supposed. Feet were coming after me I should be taken after all! I had lost my bottles; I had nothing with which to offer even a show of resistance. Just as I was trying to reconcile myself to the fact that all was over, I became conscious that a motor car was standing by the pavement, that the door opened, that someone came out of it someone who took me by the arm and led me to the car; someone, moreover, who, when in my state of haziness I found the car a little difficult to enter, gave me at a judicious moment a dexterous boost from behind which not only induced me to enter the car, but also landed me on the seat to my left. The moment I was on my feet my assistant followed, the door was banged, and the car was off. I daresay the whole thing was done inside five seconds.
I think I must have fainted, or done something equally grotesque, because when I again became conscious of my surroundings I knew that the car was passing through a wide street, in which there were many vehicles as well as people, and that by my side was a woman. I did not turn to look at her; I knew she was there without turning. I was content to sit right back and drink in the clean, strong air which the movement of the car drove against my face. I had no notion whose the car was or where we were going, or who the woman might be. In a dozy, hazy state of mind and body, all I wanted was to drink in the air, enjoy the movement of the car, and keep quite still.
It was a shock to me when the car all at once came to a stop. The woman at my side, leaning towards me, placed her hand upon my arm and said something which I did not understand. When she shook me slightly I sat up, and glancing round realised that the car was standing in front of a house, the front door of which was approached by a flight of steps. The woman spoke to me again. I still did not understand what she said. When the chauffeur got off his seat, and the door was opened, and she descended, I did understand that I was invited to follow. With uncertain legs and tottery feet I got on to the pavement. The chauffeur lent me the support of his arm. The woman had mounted the steps I believe she opened the door with a key. At any rate the chauffeur helped me up the steps, and when we reached the top the door was open. Having a vague recollection of my previous experience of entering a strange house, I was feebly inclined to ask what it was that they proposed to do with me. But I was too feeble to get the words out. I know I entered the house with the assistance of the chauffeur and the woman, was helped along
