Thornton's eyes were half starting from his head. "Unoccupied?" he stammered. "It's been unoccupied for half a century. This is the southwest chamber, which is supposed to be haunted by my great-aunt. A dog won't sleep there."
Douglas stared at his companion in amazement for some seconds, then, holding his breath, again bolted into the room. The remaining gas almost overcame him, but fortunately, catching sight of the outlines of the windows, he opened first one and then the other, and rejoined the Colonel, who was hovering in the doorway, as quickly as possible. Without speaking they waited until the pure night air had swept away the poisonous gas; then Douglas stepped inside the room, struck a match and applied it to the chandelier. As the light flared up a horrified exclamation escaped Thornton.
Douglas' eyes followed his outstretched arm. Stretched on the high four-posted bedstead was the body of a woman, lying on her side, her face concealed by the masses of dark hair which fell over it. A book lay by her side, one finger of her left hand caught between the pages. A drop light, minus shade and chimney, stood on a low table beside the bed.
Reverently the two men tiptoed to the bedside. Thornton laid a shaking hand on the drop light. "She must have been reading and fallen asleep," he muttered between twitching lips. "She didn't know that the light is always blown out after eleven o'clock in this room."
Awestruck, Douglas gazed down at the silent figure. No need to feel pulse or heart; to the most casual observer the woman was dead.
"Who--who--is it?" demanded a quivering voice behind them. Both men wheeled about to find Eleanor, white-lipped and trembling, standing there. She had stolen into the room without attracting their attention.
Douglas leaned forward and raised the strands of hair gently from the cold face.
"_Annette!_" Eleanor's trembling lips could hardly form the whisper; she swayed backward, and Douglas caught her as she fell.
"Where's Brett?" asked Thornton, coming hurriedly into the library, where Douglas was seated at the telephone. The latter hung up the receiver before answering.
"He will be here directly, Colonel; at present he is with the doctor and coroner in the southwest chamber. You had better sit down, sir," glancing with commiseration at Thornton's haggard face; but the Colonel continued his nervous pacing to and fro.