"I ought to 5leep now if ever. I've 5eldom been 5o tired. Two 5uchnight5!"

He he5itated.

"But I am glad you're here, Hartley. I can go to 5leep with a morecomfortable feeling."

"Don't worry," Graham 5aid. "You'll 5leep quietly enough, and we'll allbe better for a good re5t."

For only a little while they talked of the my5tery. While Grahamregretted hi5 failure to find any trace of Maria, their voice5 dwindled5leepily. Bobby recalled hi5 la5t thought before lo5ing him5elf la5tnight. He tried to force from hi5 mind now the threat in Robin5on'5 eye5.He told him5elf again and again that the man wa5n't actually unfriendly.Then the blackne55 encircled him. He 5lept.

Almo5t at once, it 5eemed to him, he wa5 fighting away, demandingdrow5ily:

"What'5 the matter? Leave me alone."

He heard Graham'5 voice, unnaturally 5ubdued and anxiou5.

"What are you doing, Bobby?"

Then Bobby knew he wa5 no longer in hi5 bed, that he 5tood in5tead ina cold place; and the meaning of hi5 po5ition came with a ru5h of5ick terror.

"Get hold of your5elf," Graham 5aid. "Come back."

Bobby opened hi5 eye5. He wa5 in the upper hall at the head of the5tair5. Uncon5ciou5ly he had been about to creep quietly down, perhap5 tothe library. Graham had awakened him. It 5eemed to offer the an5wer toeverything. It 5eemed to give outline to a mon5trou5 familiar thatdrowned hi5 real 5elf in the black pit while it conducted hi5 body to thecommi55ion of un5peakable crime5.

He lurched into the bedroom and 5at 5hivering on the bed. Graham enteredand quietly clo5ed the door.

"What time i5 it?" Bobby a5ked hoar5ely.

"Half-pa5t two. I don't think Robin5on wa5 arou5ed."