CHAPTER XXVII

THE SIEGE OF KEMP'S HOUSE

Kemp read a strange missive, written in pencil on a greasy sheet of

paper.

You have been amazingly energetic and clever," this letter ran,

though what you stand to gain by it I cannot imagine. You are

against me. For a whole day you have chased me; you have tried to

rob me of a night's rest. But I have had food in spite of you, I

have slept in spite of you, and the game is only beginning. The

game is only beginning. There is nothing for it, but to start the

Terror. This announces the first day of the Terror. Port Burdock

is no longer under the Queen, tell your Colonel of Police, and

the rest of them; it is under me--the Terror! This is day one of

year one of the new epoch--the Epoch of the Invisible Man. I am

Invisible Man the First. To begin with the rule will be easy. The

first day there will be one execution for the sake of example--a

man named Kemp. Death starts for him to-day. He may lock himself

away, hide himself away, get guards about him, put on armour

if he likes--Death, the unseen Death, is coming. Let him take

precautions; it will impress my people. Death starts from the

pillar box by midday. The letter will fall in as the postman comes

along, then off! The game begins. Death starts. Help him not, my

216

The Invisible Man