Her heart grew strong. Speedily, yet softly, she walked down the hill,
hoping to pass the watching creature unseen. Dark as it was, there was
little danger now of choosing the wrong road. And--which was most
strange--the light that filled her eyes from the lamp, instead of
blinding them for a moment to the object upon which they next fell,
enabled her for a moment to see it, despite the darkness. By looking at
the lamp and then dropping her eyes, she could see the road for a yard
or two in front of her, and this saved her from several falls, for the
road was very rough. But all at once, to her dismay, it vanished, and
the terror of the beast, which had left her the moment she began to
return, again laid hold of her heart. The same instant, however, she
caught the light of the windows, and knew exactly where she was. It
was
too dark to run, but she made what haste she could, and reached the
gate
in safety. She found the house door still open, ran through the hall,
and, without even looking into the nursery, bounded straight up the
stair, and the next, and the next; then turning to the right, ran
through the long avenue of silent rooms, and found her way at once to
the door at the foot of the tower stair.
When first the nurse missed her, she fancied she was playing her a
Madhuri Noah
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