Yet Smoke apparently thought otherwise, and the deep growling of the collie from the mat at the back of the room seemed to confirm his judgment.

For, proud and self-possessed, the cat had again risen to his feet, and having advanced to the door, was now ushering some one slowly into the room.  Nothing could have been more evident.  He paced from side to side, bowing his little head with great empressement and holding his stiffened tail aloft like a flag-staff.  He turned this way and that, mincing to and fro, and showing signs of supreme satisfaction.  He was in his element.  He welcomed the intrusion, and apparently reckoned that his companions, the doctor and the dog, would welcome it likewise.

The Intruder had returned for a second attack.

Dr. Silence moved slowly backwards and took up his position on the hearthrug, keying himself up to a condition of concentrated attention.

He noted that Flame stood beside him, facing the room, with body motionless, and head moving swiftly from side to side with a curious swaying movement.  His eyes were wide open, his back rigid, his neck and jaws thrust forward, his legs tense and ready to leap.  Savage, ready for attack or defence, yet dreadfully puzzled and perhaps already a little cowed, he stood and stared, the hair on his spine and sides positively bristling outwards as though a wind played through it.  In the dim firelight he looked like a great yellow-haired wolf, silent, eyes shooting dark fire, exceedingly formidable.  It was Flame, the terrible.

Smoke, meanwhile, advanced from the door towards the middle of the room, adopting the very slow pace of an invisible companion.  A few feet away it stopped and began to smile and blink its eyes.  There was something deliberately coaxing in its attitude as it stood there undecided on the carpet, clearly wishing to effect some sort of introduction between the Intruder and its canine friend and ally.  It assumed its most winning manners, purring, smiling, looking persuasively from one to the other, and making quick tentative steps first in one direction and then in the other.  There had always existed such perfect understanding between them in everything.  Surely Flame would appreciate Smoke’s intention now, and acquiesce.

But the old collie made no advances.  He bared his teeth, lifting his lips till the gums showed, and stood stockstill with fixed eyes and heaving sides.  The doctor moved a little farther back, watching intently the smallest movement, and it was just then he divined suddenly from the cat’s behaviour and attitude that it was not only a single companion it had ushered into the room, but several.  It kept crossing over from one to the other, looking up at each in turn.  It sought to win over the dog to friendliness with them all.  The original Intruder had come back with reinforcements.  And at the same time he further realised that the Intruder was something more than a blindly acting force, impersonal though destructive.  It was a Personality, and moreover a great personality.  And it was accompanied for the purposes of assistance by a host of other personalities, minor in degree, but similar in kind.