It was the head of a man thrust through the coal-hole in the street.

The next moment, again, it had vanished, and Major Brown turned to the lady.

"Where's your coal-cellar ?" he said, and stepped out into the passage.
She looked at him with wild grey eyes.

"You will not go down," she cried, "alone, into the dark hole, with that beast ?" "Is this the way ?" replied Brown, and descended the kitchen stairs three at a time.

He flung open the door of a black cavity and stepped in, feeling in his pocket for matches.