Page:Adventures of Susan Hopley (Volume 1).pdf/292

Rh appearance. She had not waited long when she heard the door of the house open, but instead of the person she expected to see, there came out, hastily, two women, apparently servants, who being neither young nor handsome, had not the air of rivals to be feared. Whoever they were, however, they set off with all the speed they could command towards the town, and were soon out of sight.

"They had not been gone long, when Julie's attentive ears distinguished a sound that appeared like the opening of a window at the back of the house; and presently afterwards, the sound of feet on the other side of the door she was leaning againstthe latch was lifted and an effort made to open it, which proving ineffectual the feet retreated. She expected to see the person, whoever it was, (and she had little doubt but it was Valentine,) emerge from the other door; but in this she was disappointed. The feet continued to retreat till the sound ceased altogether.

"If it were, as she suspected, Valentine taking his early departure, which way could he escape? She felt almost certain from the short survey she had made that there was no back door. 'He has got out of the window, and will climb