"She's going to get her cape," said Gustave. "She'll be back to tell us
that she intends to visit Donald's grave. She goes there every night and always
she looks for the figure in the tower. The figure that means death!"
"Easy, Gustave," soothed Roger. "Jennifer hasn't seen the figure yet. She's
only heard things."
"And so have we!" blurted Gustave. "Yes, Roger, I'll admit it! I've heard
those footsteps, too. Listen -"
Pausing dramatically, Gustave pointed upward. From somewhere on the second
floor came creaks that were distinctly footsteps. Quickly, Dr. Torrance crossed
the hall and looked along the passage that Jennifer had followed. He rubbed his
head, puzzled, for it wasn't the direction to the back stairs, the only way by
which Jennifer could have reached the second floor.
Footsteps ceased upstairs. They were followed by a more startling
manifestation. Down from the second floor came a clatter of flying objects;
rusted nails that bombarded the steps of the front stairway. Some scattered
through the open banister, striking Torrance's shoulder as he turned to witness
peppering objects which were so numerous they must have formed a huge fistful.
Starting toward the staircase, Roger Stanbridge halted, his face drawn like
Gustave's. It was apparent that Roger must have witnessed similar manifestations
recently and was hesitant about going upstairs. So Torrance rounded the bottom
of the staircase and dashed to the second floor, with Wiggam following him.
They found the upper hallway deserted. Torrance gave a suspicious glance
along a passage that led above the distant kitchen; then, bluffly, the physician
called down to Roger:
"Where is Hector?"
Torrance was referring to the one remaining servant in the Stanbridge
household. Roger gave a weary headshake.
"Hector has gone to bed," he said. "He always retires early, dog-tired
after a full day's work. No, doctor, it wasn't Hector who threw those things."
Still suspicious, Torrance surveyed the upper passage. To Wiggam, he
remarked that Hector couldn't possibly have fled back to his room in time to
avoid observation, a thing with which Wiggam quite agreed. Then, noting the
doorway of the back stairs, Torrance had another idea.
"Hector could have slipped down to the kitchen!" exclaimed the physician.
"Go down there and find him, Wiggam!"
Wiggam hesitated as though torn between dread of ghosts and fear of
offending Hector. With a return of nonchalance, Roger lighted a cigarette and
called up from below:
"I'll go around through the dining room and see if Hector is in the
kitchen -"
At that moment, a terrific clatter intervened. It came from the kitchen,
the crash of smashing chinaware hurled in heavy style. Waving to Wiggam, Dr.
Torrance rushed to the back stairs and started down, while Roger, his boldness
returned, made a dash around through the dining room. Seeing Wiggam go with
Torrance, Gustave followed Roger.
The four men arrived in the kitchen, to stare aghast at a mass of ruined
crockery that had tumbled from a table beside the sink, along with a candlestick
that Hector used when washing dishes, which he hadn't done tonight.
Except for the smashed chinaware, the kitchen was empty!
"Listen!" Gustave's face was ashen, his voice frantic as he clutched
