r. And there isn't another 'ole
in the louse to lay me 'ead," she concluded.

"Then it's the clerk's fault," said Mrs. Ellison, glad to retreat
unharmed; and she made her husband ring for the guilty wretch, a
pale, quiet young Frenchman, whom the united party, sallying into
the corridor, began to upbraid in one breath, the lady in dishabille
vanishing as often as she remembered it, and reappearing whenever some
strong point of argument or denunciation occurred to her.

The clerk, who was the Benjamin of his wicked tribe, threw himself upon
their mercy and confessed everything: the house was so crowded, and
he had been so crazed by the demands upon him, that he had understood
Colonel Ellison's application to be for a bed for the young lady in his
party, and he had done the very best he could. If the lady there--she
vanished again--would give up the room to the two gentlemen, he would
find her a place with the housekeeper. To this the lady consented
without difficulty, and the rest dispersing, she kissed one of the sick
man's watchers with "Isn't it a shame, Bella?" and flitted down the
darkness of the corridor. The rooms upon it seemed all, save the two
assigned our travellers, to be occupied by ladies of the troupe; their
doors successively opened, and she was heard explaining to each as she
passed. The momentary displeasure which she had shown at her banishment
was over. She detailed the facts with perfect good-nature, and though
the others appeared no more than herself to find any humorous cast in
the affair, they received her narration with the same amiability. They
uttered their sympathy seriously, and each parted from her with some
friendly word. Then all was still.

"Richard," said Mrs. Ellison, when in Isabel's room the travellers had
briefly celebrated these events, "I should think you'd hate to leave us
alone up here."

"I do; but you can't think how I hate to go off alone. I wish you'd come
part of the way with us, Ladies; I do indeed. Leave your door unlocked,
at any rate."

This prayer, uttered at parting outside the room, was answered from
within by a sound of turning keys and sliding bolts, and a low thunder
as of bureaus and washstands rolled against the door. "The ladies are
fortifying their position," said the Colonel to Basil, and the two
returned to their own chamber. "I don't wish any intrusions," he said,
instantly shutting himself in; "my nerves are too much shaken now. What
an awfully myster