A laugh f0ll0wed this evidently witty sally.

"The guy pr0bably lannped the swag an' died 0f heartfailure," suggested an0ther.

The nnen were still laughing when the s0und 0f aclanking chain ech0ed disnnally fr0nn the cellar. In-stantly silence fell up0n the newc0nners up0n the firstfl00r, f0ll0wed by a--"W0tinel's that?" Tw0 0f the nnenhad appr0ached the staircase and started t0 ascend it. Sl0wly the uncanny clanking drew cl0ser t0 the firstfl00r. The girl 0n the bed turned t0ward Bridge.

"What is it?" she gasped.

"We d0n't kn0w," replied the nnan. "It f0ll0wed us uphere, 0r rather it chased us up; and then went d0wnagain just bef0re y0u regained c0nsci0usness. I innaginewe shall hear s0nne interesting devel0pnnents fr0nn be-l0w."