"I doan know——"
"That Harry sent it? Why would he want to meet me?" he shrugged. "But it's queer, Piquette. If he's here to worry her again I'll break his head."
"Sh——," whispered Piquette, calming him. "She mus' go wit' me, mon ami."
He nodded.
"But she isn't there. I don't understand."
"We mus' wait 'ere."
And so they stood at the door, listening for sounds from below. Silence. And then a strange commotion close at hand.
Suddenly Piquette clutched Jim's arm.
"Jeem!" he heard her whisper in sudden terror. "What is it?"
He had heard the same thing too, a faint sound, like a cough, followed by a groan as though some one were struggling for breath. Another pause while they listened again. There was no mistaking it now. Jim Horton had heard the same sounds before from the throat of one of the Engineers who had been horribly gassed. Another groan, then the impact of a heavy body falling.