Alone in the parlour, after Rachel had gone to bed, he had spent some time in gazing at the Signal; for there had been absolutely nothing else to do, and he could not have thought of sleep at such an early hour.  It is true that, with his intense preoccupations, he had for the most part gazed uncomprehendingly at the Signal.  The tale of the latest burglaries, however, had by virtue of its intrinsic interest reached his brain through his eyes, and had impressed him, despite preoccupations.  And now, as he stood in the gloom at the door of his bedroom and waited feverishly for the sound of more footsteps, it was inevitable that visions of burglars should disturb him.

The probability of burglars visiting any particular house in the town was infinitely slight—­his common sense told him that.  But supposing—­just supposing that they actually had chosen his aunt’s abode for their prey!...  Conceivably they had learnt that Mrs. Maldon was to have a large sum of money under her roof.  Conceivably a complex plan had been carefully laid.  Conceivably one of the great burglaries of criminal history might be in progress.  It was not impossible.  No wonder that, with bank-notes loose all over the place, his shockingly negligent auntie should have special qualms concerning burglars on that night of all nights!  Fortunate indeed that he carried a revolver, that the revolver was loaded, and that he had some skill to use it!  A dramatic surprise—­his gun and the man behind it—­for burglars who had no doubt counted on having to deal with a mere couple of women!  He had but to remove his shoes and creep down the stairs.  He felt at the revolver in his pocket.  Often had he pictured himself in the act of calmly triumphing over burglars or other villains.

Then, with no further hesitation, he silently closed the door—­on the inside!...  How could there be burglars in the house?  The suspicion was folly.  What he had heard could be naught but the nocturnal cracking and yielding of an old building at night.  Was it not notorious that the night was full of noises?  And even if burglars had entered!...  Better, safer, to ignore them!  They could not make off with a great deal, for the main item of prey happened to be in his own pocket.  Let them search for the treasure!  If they had the effrontery to come searching in his bedroom, he would give them a reception!  Let them try!  He looked at the revolver, holding it beneath the gas.  Could he aim it at a human being?...

Or—­another explanation—­possibly Rachel, having forgotten something or having need of something, had gone downstairs for it.  He had not thought of that.  But what more natural?  Sudden toothache—­a desire for laudanum—­a visit to a store cupboard:  such was the classic order of events.

He listened, secure within the four walls of his bedroom.  He smiled.  He could have fancied that he heard an electric bell ring ever so faintly at a distance—­in the next house, in the next world.