"Sounded as though the tent flapped," Lenora replied.
Quest rose, and with the lantern in his hand walked to the other side of
the tent. The flap was open, but there was no sign of any one in sight. He
looked around and came back.
"Queer thing!" he exclaimed. "It sounded just as though some one had
pulled the flap of the tent back. The flap's open, but there isn't a soul
in sight."
"I expect it was fancy," Lenora remarked. "Still, there isn't a breath of
wind, is there?"
Quest returned to his place, and they recommenced the game. Just at that
moment the entrance to the tent was lifted and Laura ran in. She plumped
down upon her bed with her hands on either side of her.
"If that man--" she began.
Suddenly she sprang up with a little cry which turned almost into a
scream. From a look of humorous indignation, her face suddenly assumed an
expression of absolute terror. She shrank away.
"There's something soft in the bed!" she shrieked. "I felt it with my
hand!"
They all looked towards the cot. Quest held up the lantern. They
distinctly saw a movement under the bedclothes. The Inspector, stooping
down, suddenly entered the tent.
"Say, what's wrong here?" he demanded.
"There's something in Laura's bed," Quest muttered. "Here, give me the
camp-stool."
He stole towards the bed, gripping the camp-stool firmly with his right
hand, and slowly turning down the bedclothes with the feet of the chair.
Suddenly there was a piercing scream.
Pages:
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333