barman, craning over the blind.

Very well," said the man with the black beard, and stooping down,

revolver ready, drew them himself. Barman, cabman, and policeman

faced about.

"Come in," said the bearded man in an undertone, standing back and

facing the unbolted doors with his pistol behind him. No one came

in, the door remained closed. Five minutes afterwards when a second

cabman pushed his head in cautiously, they were still waiting, and

an anxious face peered out of the bar-parlour and supplied

information. "Are all the doors of the house shut?" asked Marvel.

He's going round--prowling round. He's as artful as the devil."

Good Lord!" said the burly barman. "There's the back! Just watch

them doors! I say--!" He looked about him helplessly. The

bar-parlour door slammed and they heard the key turn. "There's

the yard door and the private door. The yard door--"

He rushed out of the bar.

In a minute he reappeared with a carving-knife in his hand. "The

yard door was open!" he said, and his fat underlip dropped. "He may

be in the house now!" said the first cabman.

He's not in the kitchen," said the barman. "There's two women

The Invisible Man