"the warning was no idle one, for two nights later i happened to look out of my bedroom window about two o’clock in the morning. it was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the house was silvered over and almost as bright as day. i was standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when i was aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper beeches. as it emerged into the moonshine i saw what it was. it was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging jowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. it walked slowly across the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side. that dreadful sentinel sent a chill to my heart which i do not think that any burglar could have done.