Heglidedonabouttenshort，swiftstepsbeforehehalted。Thatwasasfarashispiercingeyescouldpenetrate。IftherehadbeenaguardstationedoutsidethestoreJeanwouldhaveseenhimbeforebeingseen。
Hesawthefence，reachedit，enteredtheyard，glidedinthedenseshadowofthebarnuntiltheblacksquarebegantoloomgray——thecolorofstoneatnight。Jeanpeeredthroughtheobscurity。Nodarkfigureofamanshowedagainstthatgraywall——onlyablackpatch，whichmustbetheholeinthefoundationmentioned。Arayoflightnowstreakedoutfromthelittleblackwindow。Totherightshowedthewide，blackdoor。
FartheronJeanglidedsilently。Thenhehalted。Therewasnoguardoutside。Jeanheardtheclinkofacap，thelazydrawlofaTexan，andthenastrong，harshvoice——Jorth’s。ItstrungJean’swholebeingtightandvibrating。Insidehewasonfirewhilecoldthrillsrippledoverhisskin。Ittooktremendouseffortofwilltoholdhimselfbackanotherinstanttolisten，tolook，tofeel，tomakesure。Andthatinstantchargedhimwithamightycurrentofhotblood，straining，throbbing，damming。
WhenJeanleapedthiscurrentburst。Inafewswiftboundshegainedhispointhalfwaybetweendoorandwindow。Heleanedhisrifleagainstthestonewall。Thenheswungtheax。Crash！Thewindowshuttersplitandrattledtothefloorinside。Thesilencethenbrokewithahoarse，\"What’sthet？\"
WithallhismightJeanswungtheheavyaxonthedoor。Smash！Thelowerhalfcavedinandbangedtothefloor。Brightlightflaredoutthehole。