n," thought the sentry at last, as he recalled
seeing, by a light carried by one of the officers as he went upstairs,
that the walls were ornamented with trophies of old weapons.

"Yes; something must have tumbled down," he said again, as he returned
his sword to its sheath, changed his piece to its old position, and
faced round and marched toward the door.

As he did so, something--not the something which the sentry said had
fallen down, but another something which had lain at full length in the
top stair but one--moved gently. There was a faint gliding sound, and
then perfect stillness, as the sentry marched in again right to the foot
of the stairs and listened.

He turned, walked right round the hall, and out once more to the front
of the porch, while something long and soft seemed in the darkness to
rise out of the top stair but one, as from a long box, on to the stair
below.

The sentry marched in again, slowly and steadily, right to the end of
the hall, and back to the front of the porch; and as he went the gliding
sound was heard again, followed during the next march back by a very
faint crack, and then for quite five minutes the long, soft-looking
figure lay on the stair motionless.

Then, when the sentry was tramping along the porch, the figure gave a
quick writhe and lay still a step higher.

Again, when the sentry was his farthest, there was another writhe, and
the figure was on the top of the stairs, to roll by degrees gently over
and over across the landing, and lie close to the panelled wall. Then
began a slow crawling motion as if some hugely thick short serpent were
creeping along the polished oaken boards almost without a sound, till
the end of the gallery was reached. Then all was still but the regular
tramp of the sentry, who told himself that he had done wisely in not
giving the alarm.

Not the first man who has congratulated himself upon making a great
mistake.

Meanwhile, Lady Markham was seated at the window, with Lil's hand
clasped in hers, waiting, as it were, for that something which seemed as
if it would happen. No great wonder, at a time when change succeeded
change with marvellous rapidity. They had neither of them spoke for
some time, till suddenly Lil pressed her mother's hand.

"What is it, dear?"

"Listen!"

Lady Markham bent forward, and remained silent for some minutes before
saying--

"I heard nothing, Lil."

"I thought I heard horses a long way off. Oh!"

Sh