detached. So far as I could see, in the imperfect light, there was
not another building within twenty or thirty yards of either side
of it. It was in two storeys. There were three windows in the
upper storey. Behind each the blinds were closely drawn. The hall
door was on my right. It was approached by a little wooden gate.

The house itself was so close to the public road that by leaning
over the wall I could have touched either of the windows on the
lower floor. There were two of them. One of them was a bow window.
The bow window was open. The bottom centre sash was raised about
six inches.




CHAPTER II

INSIDE


I realised, and, so to speak, mentally photographed all the little
details of the house in front of which I was standing with what
almost amounted to a gleam of preternatural perception. An instant
before, the world swam before my eyes. I saw nothing. Now I saw
everything, with a clearness which, as it were, was shocking.

Above all, I saw the open window. I stared at it, conscious, as I
did so, of a curious catching of the breath. It was so near to me;
so very near. I had but to stretch out my hand to thrust it
through the aperture. Once inside, my hand would at least be dry.