His face set hard, and a baleful light sprang up in his grey eyes.
"'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key in the lock.

I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and shoves.

'Hullo!' I yelled.

'Hullo! Colonel! Let me out!' "And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my heart into my mouth.

It was the clank of the levers and the swish of the leaking cylinder.