Elsie fell back on the sofa overwhelmed by the new fear which came over her. The money had been paid; but where was Elizabeth? What to do—how to act! Before the whirl had left her brain there was a sound at the door of the little passage already described.
"What is that?" exclaimed Mellen. "Some one trying that door."
"No, no," she cried. "Come back; it's nothing; I'm afraid; come back!"
He gave no attention to her cry, but hurried towards the door, while she was attempting to rise from the sofa; he had it open, Elsie heard a muttered curse, an answering imprecation from another voice, looked out, saw the outer door ajar and a man just entering the passage with whom Mellen closed instantly in a fearful struggle.
That one glance had been enough; she knew the man; then it was her insane shriek rang through the house.
Mellen forced Ford into the room, flung him against the wall, locked the door, and exclaimed in a terrible voice:
"At last! at last!"
A bell rang at the front entrance, but no one in that room heeded it.
Mellen sprang towards the man again, but he cried out savagely:
"Keep off, if you value your life, keep off."