It was but little more than some twelve feet to the ground, and that was nothing to daunt an active lad of my own build, with the soft turf to land upon below.

It should have been done without hesitation; for that moment's hesitation was my ruin.
Fifanti had heard the opening of the casement, and fearing that, after all, his prey might yet escape him, he suddenly charged the door like an infuriated bull, and borrowing from his rage a strength far greater than his usual he burst away the fastenings of that crazy door.
Into the room hurtled the doctor, to check and stand there blinking at me, too much surprised for a moment to grasp the situation.
When, at last, he understood, the returning flow of rage was overwhelming.
"You!" he gasped, and then his voice mounting--"You dog!" he screamed.
"So it was you! You!" He crouched and his little eyes, all blood-injected, peered at me with horrid malice.

He grew cold again as he mastered his surprise.

"You!" he repeated.

"Blind fool that I have been! You! The walker in the ways of St.Augustine--in his early ways, I think.