But I have never known that happen!"
Once more I approached the bedside. One arm was drawn up a little from
under the clothes. I noticed its somewhat unnatural position and pointed
it out to the nurse.
"Did you leave it like that?" I asked.
Her teeth chattered.
"No!" she answered, "The arms were quite straight. Some one has been in
the room--or--"
"Or what?" Tasked.
"He must have moved," she whispered in an unnatural tone.
Once more I bent over the still form. The pupils of the wide-open eyes
were slightly dilated; they seemed to meet mine with a horrible, unseeing
directness. There was no sign about his waxen face or still, cold mouth
that life had lingered for a moment beyond the stated period. And yet
something of the nurse's terror was slowly becoming communicated to me. I
felt that I was in close company with mysterious things.
I turned towards the nurse.
"Go to your room," I said, "and shut yourself in there. I am going to
send for Dr. Rust. Understand it is you that are ill. I do not want a
word of this to be spoken of amongst the servants.
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