Footprints Without Feet

Two boys in London see muddy bare footprints appear from nowhere and follow them until they fade. The footprints belonged to Griffin, a scientist who had made his body transparent by swallowing rare drugs - solid but invisible like glass.

On the steps of a London house two boys stared at fresh muddy imprints of bare feet. New footprints kept appearing, descending into the street. They followed until the marks grew fainter and vanished. Griffin, who had proved the human body could become invisible, had stepped in mud and betrayed his presence.

Griffin was brilliant but lawless. His landlord tried to eject him; Griffin set fire to the house and escaped without clothes. In mid-winter London he was invisible, naked, and without money until mud left footprints.

Though a gifted scientist, Griffin lacked respect for law. When his landlord disliked him and tried to throw him out, Griffin burned the house in revenge. To flee unseen he removed his clothes and became a homeless wanderer - invisible, unclothed, and penniless in bitter January cold.

Griffin entered a big London store at closing time, dressed himself in warm clothes, ate from the restaurant, and slept on quilts. Next morning he had to run away naked again. Then he went to a theatrical shop in Drury Lane, disguised himself with bandages and false nose, and robbed the shopkeeper.

Seeking warmth, Griffin hid in a department store after hours, broke open boxes, and clothed himself. He ate cold meat, coffee, sweets and wine, then slept. When assistants arrived he fled, shedding his new clothes. Shivering, he entered a theatrical costume shop, dressed as a bandaged stranger, attacked the owner from behind, and stole money.

Griffin took a train to Iping and rented rooms at the inn, wanting solitude. Mrs Hall thought him an eccentric scientist. When his money ran out, early one morning the clergyman and his wife heard money being stolen from the study - but the room seemed empty.

Griffin sought solitude at the Coach and Horses inn in Iping, saying an accident had affected his face. Mrs Hall excused his temper because he paid in advance. Soon cash ran short. The clergyman and his wife awoke to a chink of coins from the study. Though the desk was opened and housekeeping money gone, no one was visible in the room.

Mrs Hall found Griffin's room open with bandages lying about. Suddenly a sniff sounded near her ear; the hat flew at her face and a chair charged and pushed the Halls out, locking the door. Neighbours suspected witchcraft. When Griffin produced cash, suspicion grew stronger.

The landlord and his wife peeped into the scientist's room and saw bandages scattered while the bed was cold. A sniff near Mrs Hall's ear was followed by the hat leaping from the bedpost into her face. A chair sprang at her legs and drove both Halls downstairs. Mrs Hall believed spirits haunted the furniture. News of the burglary and Griffin's sudden money deepened village suspicion.

Mrs Hall demanded an explanation. Griffin furiously removed bandages, whiskers, spectacles and nose - the people saw a headless man. Constable Jaffers came to arrest a man without a head. Griffin threw off garment after garment, became fully invisible, knocked Jaffers unconscious, and escaped.

When Mrs Hall accused him, Griffin shouted that he would show who he was and stripped off his disguise. The bar stared at a headless figure. Mr Jaffers arrived to make a lawful arrest even of a headless suspect. Griffin shed clothes one by one, becoming less and less visible until only a flying shirt remained. After a struggle Jaffers was knocked out and Griffin vanished completely.