There’s nothing like open air

and success and good sleep. They build up as if by magic the portions

of the heart eaten down by despair and unsatisfied yearnings. Even to

the cats I feel friendly. When I came in at eleven o’clock to-night

they followed me to the door in a stream, and I stooped down to stroke

the one nearest to me.

Bah! The brute hissed and spat, and struck at me with her paws. The

claw caught my hand and drew blood in a thin line. The others danced

sideways into the darkness, screeching, as though I had done them an

injury. I believe these cats really hate me. Perhaps they are only

waiting to be reinforced. Then they will attack me. Ha, ha! In spite

of the momentary annoyance, this fancy sent me laughing upstairs to my

room.

The fire was out, and the room seemed unusually cold. As I groped

my way over to the mantelpiece to find the matches I realised all at

once that there was another person standing beside me in the darkness.

I could, of course, see nothing, but my fingers, feeling along the

ledge, came into forcible contact with something that was at once

withdrawn. It was cold and moist. I could have sworn it was somebody’s

hand. My flesh began to creep instantly.

“Who’s that?” I exclaimed in a loud voice.

My voice dropped into the silence like a pebble into a deep well.

There was no answer, but at the same moment I heard someone moving

away from me across the room in the direction of the door. It was a

confused sort of footstep, and the sound of garments brushing the

furniture on the way. The same second my hand stumbled upon the

match-box, and I struck a light. I expected to see Mrs. Monson, or

Emily, or perhaps the son who is something on an omnibus. But the flare

of the gas-jet illumined an empty room; there was not a sign of a

person anywhere. I felt the hair stir upon my head, and instinctively

I backed tip against the wall, lest something should approach me from

behind. I was distinctly alarmed. But the next minute I recovered

myself. The door was open on to the landing, and I crossed the room,

not without some inward trepidation, and went out. The light from the

room fell upon the stairs, but there was no one to be seen anywhere,

nor was there any sound on the creaking wooden staircase to indicate a

departing creature.