And suddenly the door of the room upstairs opened by itself, and they saw coming down the stairs the wrapped-up figure of the stranger staring more blackly than ever through those large glasses. He came down stiffly and slowly, staring all the time; he walked across the passage, staring, and then stopped. He entered the parlour, and suddenly and angrily shut the door in their faces. Not a word was spoken until the noise of the door had died away. They looked at one another. 'Well, I've never seen anything like it!' said Mr Wadgers, more troubled than ever. 'If I were you, I'd go in and ask him about it,' Mr Wadgers advised Mr Hall. 'I'd demand an explanation.' It took some time to persuade Mr Hall to do it. At last he knocked, opened the door, and got as far as: 'Excuse me—'
'Go to the devil!' said the stranger, 'and shut that door after
you.' And that was all.
Chapter 7 The Stranger Shows His Face
It was half past five when the stranger went into the little parlour of the Coach and Horses, and there he remained until nearly midday, with the blinds down and the door shut, and nobody went near him. All that time he could have eaten nothing. Three times he rang his bell, the third time loud and long, but no one answered him. 'Telling us to go to the devil, indeed!' said Mrs Hall. Soon came the story of the robbery at the Vicarage, and that started them thinking. Hall went off with Wadgers to find Mr Shuckleforth, the lawyer, and take his advice. No one went upstairs, and no one