Lair of the White Worm

Sir Nathaniel's voice was full of seriousness, and it brought to Mimi in
a convincing way the awful gravity of the occasion.

In due course, they set out in a carriage drawn by a fine pair of horses,
who soon devoured the few miles of their journey.  Before they came to
the gate, Sir Nathaniel turned to Mimi.

"I have arranged with Adam certain signals which may be necessary if
certain eventualities occur.  These need be nothing to do with you
directly.  But bear in mind that if I ask you or Adam to do anything, do
not lose a second in the doing of it.  We must try to pass off such
moments with an appearance of unconcern.  In all probability, nothing
requiring such care will occur.  The White Worm will not try force,
though she has so much of it to spare.  Whatever she may attempt to-day,
of harm to any of us, will be in the way of secret plot.  Some other time
she may try force, but--if I am able to judge such a thing--not to-day.
The messengers who may ask for any of us will not be witnesses only, they
may help to stave off danger."  Seeing query in her face, he went on: "Of
what kind the danger may be, I know not, and cannot guess.  It will
doubtless be some ordinary circumstance; but none the less dangerous on
that account.  Here we are at the gate.  Now, be careful in all matters,
however small.  To keep your head is half the battle."

There were a number of men in livery in the hall when they arrived.  The
doors of the drawing-room were thrown open, and Lady Arabella came forth
and offered them cordial welcome.  This having been got over, Lady
Arabella led them into another room where tea was served.

Adam was acutely watchful and suspicious of everything, and saw on the
far side of this room a panelled iron door of the same colour and
configuration as the outer door of the room where was the well-hole
wherein Oolanga had disappeared.  Something in the sight alarmed him, and
he quietly stood near the door.  He made no movement, even of his eyes,
but he could see that Sir Nathaniel was watching him intently, and, he
fancied, with approval.

They all sat near the table spread for tea, Adam still near the door.
Lady Arabella fanned herself, complaining of heat, and told one of the
footmen to throw all the outer doors open.

Tea was in progress when Mimi suddenly started up with a look of fright
on her face; at the same moment, the men became cognisant of a thick
smoke which began to spread through the room--a smoke which made those
who experienced it gasp and choke.  The footmen began to edge uneasily
towards the inner door.  Denser and denser grew the smoke, and more acrid
its smell.  Mimi, towards whom the draught from the open door wafted the
smoke, rose up choking, and ran to the inner door, which she threw open
to its fullest extent, disclosing on the outside a curtain of thin silk,
fixed to the doorposts.  The draught from the open door swayed the thin
silk towards her, and in her fright, she tore down the curtain, which
enveloped her from head to foot.  Then she ran through the still open
door, heedless of the fact that she could not see where she was going.
Adam, followed by Sir Nathaniel, rushed forward and joined her--Adam
catching his wife by the arm and holding her tight.  It was well that he
did so, for just before her lay the black orifice of the well-hole,
which, of course, she could not see with the silk curtain round her head.
The floor was extremely slippery; something like thick oil had been
spilled where she had to pass; and close to the edge of the hole her feet
shot from under her, and she stumbled forward towards the well-hole.

When Adam saw Mimi slip, he flung himself backward, still holding her.
His weight told, and he dragged her up from the hole and they fell
together on the floor outside the zone of slipperiness.  In a moment he
had raised her up, and together they rushed out through the open door
into the sunlight, Sir Nathaniel close behind them.  They were all pale
except the old diplomatist, who looked both calm and cool.  It sustained
and cheered Adam and his wife to see him thus master of himself.  Both
managed to follow his example, to the wonderment of the footmen, who saw
the three who had just escaped a terrible danger walking together gaily,
as, under the guiding pressure of Sir Nathaniel's hand, they turned to re-
enter the house.

Lady Arabella, whose face had blanched to a deadly white, now resumed her
ministrations at the tea-board as though nothing unusual had happened.
The slop-basin was full of half-burned brown paper, over which tea had
been poured.

Sir Nathaniel had been narrowly observing his hostess, and took the first
opportunity afforded him of whispering to Adam:

"The real attack is to come--she is too quiet.  When I give my hand to
your wife to lead her out, come with us--and caution her to hurry.  Don't
lose a second, even if you have to make a scene.  Hs-s-s-h!"

Then they resumed their places close to the table, and the servants, in
obedience to Lady Arabella's order, brought in fresh tea.

Thence on, that tea-party seemed to Adam, whose faculties were at their
utmost intensity, like a terrible dream.  As for poor Mimi, she was so
overwrought both with present and future fear, and with horror at the
danger she had escaped, that her faculties were numb.  However, she was
braced up for a trial, and she felt assured that whatever might come she
would be able to go through with it.  Sir Nathaniel seemed just as
usual--suave, dignified, and thoughtful--perfect master of himself.

To her husband, it was evident that Mimi was ill at ease.  The way she
kept turning her head to look around her, the quick coming and going of
the colour of her face, her hurried breathing, alternating with periods
of suspicious calm, were evidences of mental perturbation.  To her, the