fancy--a part of her dream?

Paul Capel thought the latter, for, light as a fawn, he saw Katrine dart
across the room to where the candle stood.

The next moment they were in total darkness.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

WHAT THE SOUND WAS.

A faint rustle was plainly heard, as Capel drew aside the curtain. Then
the sound ceased, but he felt that as he had taken a step to the left,
Katrine must be exactly opposite to him. In another moment she would
come forward and touch him, for he could not move from his position. If
he stood aside she would pass him and fasten him in the room.

He listened in the intense darkness, and could just detect the short,
hurried breathing of one who was excited by dread.

But as he listened in the darkness, clear now of the heavy curtain, he
heard another sound--a peculiar scraping sound, that seemed to come from
outside the window.

It was that which had alarmed Katrine, and made her extinguish the
light.

The noise ceased. Then it was repeated, and directly after, sounding
muffled by the heavy curtain, the window rattled a little in its frame,
as if shaken or pressed upon by some one outside.

The panting grew louder, there was a warm breath upon Capel's cheek, and
the next moment he held Katrine in his arms.

She uttered a low cry of fear, and struggled to escape.

"Hush!" he whispered. "You have nothing to fear. Are you awake?"

There was no answer; only a vigorous thrust from the hands placed upon
his chest, and he felt that she was trying to open the door, trembling
violently the while.

"Katrine," he whispered, "why do you not trust me? Wake up. There is
nothing to fear."

He tried to clasp her in his arms again, but with a quick movement she
eluded him, and as he caught at her again, it seemed as if the great
curtain had been thrust into his arms, for he grasped that, and as he
flung it away, the door struck him in the face, and then closed, he
heard it locked, and the key withdrawn.

Then he stood listening, for the window rattled again, and he wondered
that the noise he had made in his slight struggle with Katrine had not
been heard by whoever was on the sill.

There was a bell somewhere in the room; but if he rang, and roused up
the butler, the man would be horrified at hearing his old master's
bedroom bell ringing in the dead of the night.

Even if that had not been the case, what excuse could he make? And
could he explain his position to Mr Girtle w