What looked like a reed was slowly inserted through the opening
between door and doorpost! It was brought gradually around
. . . until it pointed directly toward me!

I seemed to put forth a mighty mental effort, shaking off the icy
hand of fear which held me inactive in my chair. A saving instinct
warned me--and I ducked my head.

Something whirred past me and struck the wall behind.

Revolver in hand, I leapt across the room, dashed the door open,
and fired blindly--again--and again--and again--down the
passage.

And in the brief gleams I saw it!

I cannot call it man, but I saw the thing which, I doubt not, had
killed poor Deeping with the crescent-knife and had propelled a
poison-dart at me.

It was a tiny dwarf! Neither within nor without a freak exhibition
had I seen so small a human being! A kind of supernatural dread
gripped me by the throat at sight of it. As it turned with animal
activity and bounded into my bathroom, I caught a three-quarter
view of the creature's swollen, incredible head--which was nearly
as large as that of a normal man!

Never while my mind serves me can I forget that yellow, grinning
face and those canine fangs--the tigerish, blazing eyes--set in