It took him a good minute to realize that he was Herbert Manley and in bed, and half a minute longer to gather that the knocking and calling were unusual and uncommonly urgent.

He sat up in bed and yawned terrifically.
Then he slipped out of bed--the knocking and calling still continued--unlocked the door, and found Holloway, the second footman, on the threshold looking scared and horror-stricken.
"Please, sir, his lordship's dead!" he cried.

"He's bin murdered! Stabbed through the 'eart!".