“Ha! ha!” he gruffly laughed, as he flourished his weapon.
The footman shouted in terror, and turned on his heel to flee upstairs again.
The rest followed him, bellowing and screaming at the top of their voices.
Upstairs they flew in wild dismay, tearing their clothes, and knocking each other about in the darkness, making all haste to leave far behind them the dreadful form they had seen below.
No man, or woman either, ever mounted flights of stairs with such expedition as did the servants on this memorable occasion.
Coat tails were torn off, wigs were lost, trousers were torn behind in very unpleasant and uncomfortable places, and more than one received hard thumps in the ribs from some one they knew not.
But this was nothing, so that they could escape with their lives.
Once in the entrance hall again they ran towards the great drawing-room.
The door was unexpectedly and very hastily opened for them by a skeleton!
With a cry of agony and surprise they turned towards the baronial hall as a place of safety.