I alighted upon a heap of broken glass in a large bare room.

An ominous chill at once struck to my heart.

Though I am anything but a sensitive man as far as physical impressions are concerned, there was something in the hollow echo that arose from the four blank walls about me as my feet alighted on that rough, uncarpeted floor, that struck a vague chill through my blood, and I actually hesitated for the moment whether to pursue the investigations I had promised myself, or beat a hasty retreat.

A glance at the huge distorted limbs swaying across the square of the open window decided me.

It was easy to enter by means of that unsteady support, but it would be extremely unsafe to venture forth in that way.