The door was open about six inches and in the opening appeared a long, pale face with a huge chin, surmounted by a bowler hat and ornamented with a large red nose, a drooping moustache and two small, glittering eyes set very close together.

For some seconds this apparition regarded Owen intently, then it was silently withdrawn, and he was again alone.

He had been so surprised and startled that he had nearly dropped the lamp, and now that the ghastly countenance was gone, Owen felt the blood surge into his own cheeks.

He trembled with suppressed fury and longed to be able to go out there on the landing and hurl the lamp into Hunter's face.
Meanwhile, on the landing outside Owen's door, Hunter stood thinking.
Someone must be got rid of to make room for the cheap man tomorrow.

He had hoped to catch somebody doing something that would have served as an excuse for instant dismissal, but there was now no hope of that happening.