“I think that is sufficiently conclusive,” he said.
Even as he spoke a very cold draught of air suddenly blew into the room, making the papers on the desk rustle. Dr Teesdale went to the window and closed it.
“Did you feel that?” he asked.
“Yes, a breath of air. Chilly.”
Once again in the closed room it stirred again.
“And did you feel that?” asked the doctor.
The chaplain nodded. He felt his heart hammering in his throat suddenly.
“Defend us from all peril and danger of this coming night,” he exclaimed.
“Something is coming!” said the doctor.
As he spoke it came. In the centre of the room not three yards away from them stood the figure of a man with his head bent over on to his shoulder, so that the face was not visible. Then he took his head in both his hands and raised it like a weight, and looked them in the face. The eyes and tongue protruded, a livid mark was round the neck. Then there came a sharp rattle on the boards of the floor, and the figure was no longer there. But on the floor there lay a new rope.