Page:Mistress Madcap Surrenders (1926).pdf/196

 though in prayer, against the childish breast. "That is what a real man would do!" she told him smilingly.

"I will, Hitty!" And, with a smothered shout, the little fellow turned and scampered away.

Creeping forward, then, Mehitable softly pushed open the crazy front door which hung ajar upon its hinges. She had often passed the old place in happier days and even then, in the bright sunshine, it had seemed to stare back at her haggardly, ghost-ridden, a storehouse of sad memories.

She entered the musty hall noiselessly, catching her breath as a rustling and a scamper near by proclaimed some live thing. Tis a rat!" she reassured herself, and grasping the pistol, which she had retained all this time, more firmly in her hand she tiptoed across the hall to the foot of the stairs.

Again she paused. Vacant rooms opening from the hall seemed peopled with dim figures. A moving shadow that crept across the floor toward her made her heart thump until she discovered it to be caused by a shutter, flapping and banging in the wind outside.

She looked up the rickety stairs. From above she now heard voices, a man's harsh laugh. And at that laugh, she flung up her head. One step and stop! Two steps and stop! The third step creaked and, crushing the back of one hand against