It had been locked.
"Locked out, ha!" he ejaculated quickly; and with a feeling of anger.
His hand was instantly on the bell-pull, and he jerked it three or four times vigorously; the loud and continued ringing of the bell sounding in his ears where he stood on the doorstep without.

A little while he waited, and then the ringing was renewed, and with a more prolonged violence than at first.

Then he listened, bending his ear close to the door.

But he could detect no movement in the house.
"Confound it!" came sharp and impatiently from his lips.

"If I thought this was designed, I'd--" He checked himself, for just at that instant he saw a faint glimmer of light through the glass over the door.