In this particular I was speedily reassured, for the door opened to my
touch--and I became conscious of a wish that there might be some means
of fastening it from within. However, I could find none, but hurrying
upstairs, I determined to take a precaution which hitherto I had not
adopted and that night to lock my bedroom door.
Entering the room, I fumbled for a box of matches in my pocket and
presently discovering them struck one and looked about me for the
candle which usually stood upon a little cabinet beside the bed.
To-night, however, it had been moved for some reason, and put over by
the window on the dressing-table. As I made this discovery the match
smoldered out, and at the moment I was about to strike another the
sound of footsteps which I had formerly detected grew louder and
nearer, so that I could no longer doubt that some one was running
along the road towards the Abbey Inn.
A great curiosity respecting this person seized me, and without
striking a match as I had intended to do, I walked to the window and
looked out into the road. Twenty yards away I saw the figure of a man
who seemed to be come almost to the end of his resources; for I could
hear him panting as he ran. Nor did my wonder decrease when, as he
came nearer and stared up in my direction, I recognized him for the
shabby-looking person whom I had observed that morning sitting on the
bench before the inn door.
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