Placing the matches beside the candlestick, she
blew out the light. Then, half-turning on her side with her face to the
wall, she composed herself to sleep.
Resolutely putting from her mind any sense of the supernatural, she shut
her eyes with confidence of coming sleep. While she was, however, still
within the borders of wakefulness, and wholly conscious, she felt the
Thing jump from the floor upon her legs, and crouch there with that
deadening pressure which was not weight. Now with a start of anger she
raised herself, and shot out a determined hand to seize the Thing,
whatever it was. Her hand grasped nothing, and again she distinctly heard
a soft thud as of something jumping on the floor. Exasperated, she drew
herself out of bed, lit the candle again, and began another search.
Nothing was to be seen; but she had now the curious sense of an unseen
presence. She went to the door, opened it, and looked out into the narrow
hall. Nothing was to be seen there. Then she closed the door again, and
stood looking at it meditatively for a moment. It had a lock and key; yet
it had never been locked in the years they had lived on the Sagalac. She
did not know whether the key would turn in the lock. After a moment's
hesitation, she shrugged her shoulders and turned the key.
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