Brice sprang forward through the dark, to grapple with the man.

But Hade was nowhere within reach of Brice's outflung arms.

Rodney had slipped, snakelike, to one side, foreseeing just such a move on the part of his foe.
Gavin strained his ears, to note the man's direction.

But Milo Standish was thrashing noisily about in an effort to locate and seize the fugitive.

And the racket his huge body made in hitting against furniture and in caroming off the walls and doors, filled the hall with din.
Remembering at last the collie's presence in that mass of darkness, Gavin shouted: "Bobby! Bobby Burns! Take him!" From somewhere in the gloom, there was a beast-snarl and a scurry of clawed feet on the polished floor.