The Broad Highway

"Peter!--oh, Peter, I am afraid!--wake! wake!"

A cold sweat broke out upon me and I glared helplessly, towards

the door.

"Quick, Peter!--come to me--oh, God!"

I strove to move, but still I could not. And now, in the

darkness, hands were shaking me wildly, and Charmian's voice was

speaking in my ear.

"The door!" it whispered, "the door!"

Then I arose, and was in the outer room, with Charmian close

beside me in the dark, and my eyes were upon the door. And then

I beheld a strange thing, for a thin line of white light

traversed the floor from end to end. Now, as I watched this

narrow line, I saw that it was gradually widening and widening;

very slowly, and with infinite caution, the door was being opened

from without. In this remote place, in this still, dead hour of

the night, full of the ghostly hush that ever precedes the dawn

--there was something devilish--something very like murder in its

stealthy motion. I heard Charmian's breath catch, and, in the

dark, her hand came and crept into mine and her fingers were cold

as death.

And now a great anger came upon me, and I took a quick step

forward, but Charmian restrained me.

"No, Peter!" she breathed; "not yet--wait!" and wound her arms

round mine.

In a corner near by stood that same trusty staff that had been

the companion of my wanderings, and now I reached, and took it

up, balancing it in my hand. And all the time I watched that

line of light upon the floor widening and widening, growing ever

broader and more broad. The minutes dragged slowly by, while the

line grew into a streak, and the streak into a lane, and upon the

lane came a blot that slowly resolved itself into the shadow of a

hand upon the latch. Slowly, slowly, to the hand came a wrist,

and to the wrist an arm--another minute, and this maddening

suspense would be over. Despite Charmian's restraining clasp, I

crept a long pace nearer the softly moving door.

The sharp angle of the elbow was growing obtuse as the shadowy

arm straightened itself. Thirty seconds more! I began to count,

and, gripping my staff, braced myself for what might be, when

--with a sudden cry, Charmian sprang forward, and, hurling herself

against the door, shut it with a crash.

"Quick, Peter!" she panted. I was beside her almost as she

spoke, and had my hand upon the latch.

"I must see who this was," said I.