TIGERLAND 



the face gradually grew clearer, till I could tell they were 

 those of a European, such as Morton had described, but 

 with the eyes now looking downwards. 



" ' Presently, the circle of light assumed an oval form, and 

 now, beneath the face, appeared the outline of the neck, 

 which as it took more shape showed a crimson streak 

 across it, faintly at first and then dark red, till, to my 

 horror, I saw it was a gash upon the throat, extending 

 from ear to ear ! 



" ' What further terrible development might have taken 

 place it is impossible to say, for, at this moment, an 

 appalling shriek was heard, and the next instant the door 

 behind us was burst open flooding the room with light 

 from the wall-lamps in the passage. 



" ' The shriek had come from Morton, who happened to 

 be seated near the door, and it was he who had burst it 

 open in his panic-stricken anxiety to fly from that awful 

 presence into the passage, where we found him looking 

 like one demented. 



" ' The other two and myself, although much older and 

 possibly less susceptible to fear, were nevertheless in but 

 little better condition, for the awful scene we had witnessed 

 was one to try the strongest nerve. 



" ' As may easily be imagined, none of us entered the room 

 again that night, but, piling a table and some boxes against 

 the broken door, passed the hours till daylight discussing 

 the adventure in my room, at the far end of the house. 



" ' The conclusion we arrived at was that the bedstead 

 must in some way be connected with the mystery. 

 Accordingly, the next morning, with the courage born of 

 daylight, we took this ancient piece of furniture to pieces ; 

 but finding nothing to justify our theory, had it removed 

 to the loft. 



" 'Morton, I need hardly say, did not assist in the in- 

 vestigation, declining absolutely to enter the room again ; 

 in fact, he left us that day to return to his station, preferring 

 to cut short his visit to passing another night within that 

 house. 



" 'He told us before he left, that looking back to all he 

 had gone through, he wondered that he had the courage 

 to continue sleeping in that room, for although up to the 

 148 



