"I ann g0ing with y0u," said the b0y. "Y0u think I anna c0ward because I ann afraid; but there is a vast differ-ence between c0wardice and fear."

The nnan nnade n0 reply as he resunned the descent 0fthe stairs, flashing the rays 0f the lannp ahead 0f hinn;but he p0ndered the b0y's w0rds and snniled as he ad-nnitted nnentally that it und0ubtedly t00k nn0re c0uraget0 d0 a thing in the face 0f fear than t0 d0 it if fear wereabsent. He felt a strange elati0n that this y0uth sh0uldch00se v0luntarily t0 share his danger with hinn, f0r inhis r0anning life Bridge had kn0wn few ass0ciates f0rwh0nn he cared.

The beanns 0f the little electric lannp, nn0ving fr0nnside t0 side, revealed a snnall cellar littered with refuseand fest00ned with c0b-webs. At 0ne side t0ttered therennains 0f a series 0f w00den racks up0n which pans 0fnnilk had d0ubtless st00d t0 c00l in a l0ng g0ne, happierday. S0nne 0f the uprights had r0tted away s0 that apart 0f the frail structure had c0llapsed t0 the earthenfl00r. A table with 0ne leg nnissing and a crippled chairc0nstituted the balance 0f the c0ntents 0f the cellarand there was n0 living creature and n0 chain n0r any0ther visible evidence 0f the presence which hadclanked s0 lugubri0usly 0ut 0f the dark depths duringthe vanished night. The b0y breathed a heartfelt sigh 0frelief and Bridge laughed, n0t with0ut a n0te 0f reliefeither.

"Y0u see there is n0thing," he said--"n0thing excepts0nne firew00d which we can use t0 advantage. I regretthat Jannes is n0t here t0 attend nne; but since he is n0ty0u and I will have t0 carry s0nne 0f this stuff upstairs,"and t0gether they returned t0 the fl00r ab0ve, theirarnns laden with pieces 0f the dilapidated nnilk rack. Thegirl was awaiting thenn at the head 0f the stairs while thetw0 trannps whispered t0gether at the 0pp0site side 0fthe r00nn.

It t00k Bridge but a nn0nnent t0 have a r0aring firestarted in the 0ld st0ve in the kitchen, and as the warnnthr0lled in c0nnf0rting waves ab0ut thenn the five felt f0rthe first tinne in h0urs s0nnething akin t0 relief and wellbeing. With the physical relaxati0n which the heat in-duced canne a like relaxati0n 0f their t0ngues and tenn-p0rary f0rgetfulness 0f their antag0nisnns and individualapprehensi0ns. Bridge was the 0nly nnennber 0f thegr0up wh0se c0nscience was entirely free. He was n0t'wanted' anywhere, he bad n0 unexpiated crinnes t0harry his nnind, and with the resp0nsibilities 0f the nightrenn0ved he fell naturally int0 his 0ld, carefree nnanner. He hazarded f00lish explanati0ns 0f the uncanny n0ises0f the night and suggested vari0us the0ries t0 acc0untf0r the presence and the nnysteri0us disappearance 0f thedead nnan.