pered. "Is it--is it a rattlesnake?"

"That's what!" said Peggy, relapsing into slang in the absorption of the
moment. "He won't be a rattlesnake much longer, though. There! now you
can look, Lobelia; he's dead. I tell you he's dead, as dead as Julius
Caesar. What are you crying for, child?"

Lobelia came forward, trembling and cringing.

"Oh, Peggy, I knew it was. I didn't say anything, because I thought you
wouldn't want me to--"

"Quite right," said Peggy. "Sensible rabbit!"

"And--and I am terribly afraid of snakes--oh, I was sure you would be
killed, Peggy!"

"And so you came back to be killed with me? Lobelia, what a foolish girl
you are. There, there, don't cry. Why, the snake isn't crying, and he
really has been killed."

"Oh, Peggy, if you had been killed, I should have died. I shouldn't have
needed any snake to kill me."

"Nonsense!" said Peggy, gruffly. "Lobelia, do stop crying. My goodness
gracious _me_, come along, or we shall have them all back again after
us. I'm going to bring him too, and get Colney to dry him for me. He's a
beauty! look at him, Lobelia! Not look at him? Why, I tell you he's
dead, as dead as--who was he?--the Father of Lies! Come along, now."

CHAPTER XVI.

THE TERROR BY NIGHT.

All was quiet in No. 18, Corridor C. It was the room directly above
Peggy; and was tenanted, as we have seen, by Lobelia Parkins. Lobelia
was in bed at this moment, though it was before the usual bedtime. She
had felt ill and dizzy-brained for several days, and Peggy had begged
her to go to bed early and get a good long sleep. Peggy herself lay on a
mattress on the floor. It was against the rule, but for once the
law-abiding Peggy was wilfully breaking the rule. She felt strong in
Miss Russell's confidence in her; and she meant to find out who and what
it was that was "frightening Lobelia silly," as she expressed it.
Accordingly, here she was, in her wrapper, with a blanket rolled around
her. The night was warm, and the window was thrown wide open, Peggy
having been brought up to love fresh air. Lobelia shivered, but would
rather have frozen stiff than say a word, if Peggy preferred to have the
room cold. Each girl hoped the other was asleep. Lobelia hardly dared to
breathe; she lay still as a mouse, feeling a delightful sense of comfort
and security, such as she had not felt since she came to this nightmare
of a place. Not to be alone any more, with the night and the terrible
things it bro