Still no sound.

He drew a little breath, and, with his eyes glued upon the half-closed door, recollected that he himself had left it open that he might hear Barnes go upstairs.

With a little laugh, still not altogether natural, he moved to the spirit decanter and drank off half a wineglassful of neat whisky! "Nerves," he said softly to himself.

"This won't do! What an idiot I was to go to sleep there!" He glanced at the clock.

It was five minutes to three.