"Give me the matches, and I'll go in." James handed him the box of matches, and he crossed the threshold.

For a yard or two we saw him plainly, then his figure grew dim and indistinct.
I heard nothing except my own hard breathing.

But in a moment there was another sound--a muffled exclamation, and a noise of a man stumbling; a sword, too, clattered on the stones of the passage.

We looked at one another; the noise did not produce any answering stir in the house; then came the sharp little explosion of a match struck on its box; next we heard Sapt raising himself, his scabbard scraping along the stones; his footsteps came towards us, and in a second he appeared at the door.
"What was it ?" I whispered.
"I fell," said Sapt.
"Over what ?" "Come and see.

James, stay here." I followed the constable for the distance of eight or ten feet along the passage.
"Isn't there a lamp anywhere ?" I asked.
"We can see enough with a match," he answered.