The watcher cannot say whether he cried out, nor how long he stood there trembling.
He came to himself with a start as he realized that something was coming up the stairs.

Fear prevented his taking flight, and in a moment the thing was at his side.

Then he saw indistinctly that it was not the figure he had seen descend.

He saw a younger man, in a heavy overcoat, but with no hat on his head.

He wore on his face a look of extravagant triumph.