th flagstones, and crowded round the walls
and down the middle of the floor with muskets, piled in military fashion
in threes and sixes.

Tim's soul swelled within him at the sight; but I confess I was more
concerned at the gloomy aspect of the great chamber, and the general
sense of horror that seemed to hang over the whole place.

"Begorrah, it was worth coming for!" said Tim, as he crouched down
examining the lock of one specially bright weapon.

Suddenly he started to his feet and extinguished the candle. "Whisht!"
he exclaimed, "there's a step."

We stood like statues, not even daring to breathe. There, sure enough,
not on the walk without, but down at the end of the corridor we had just
traversed, was a footstep. Tim drew me down to a corner near the
hearth, where, hidden behind a stack of arms, we could remain partly
hid. The step approached, but whoever came was walking, as we had done,
in the dark. To my thinking it was a light step, and one familiar with
the path it trod. For a moment it ceased, and I guessed it was at the
bracket from which we had taken the candle. Tim's hand closed on my arm
as the sound began again; and presently we heard, for we could not see,
the door move back.

I never wish again for a moment like that. If I could have shouted I
would have done so. All we could do was to crouch, rooted to the spot,
and wait with throbbing hearts for what was to happen. As the footsteps
halted a moment at the open door my quick ears seemed to detect the
rustle of a dress, and next moment what sounded like a sob, or it might
have been only a moan of the wind outside, broke the silence.

Then the steps advanced direct for us. Even the moon had deserted us,
and by no straining of our eyes could we detect who the stranger was,
even when she (for by the rustling sound we were positive it was a
woman) reached the hearth and stood motionless within a foot of us.

Reach out we could not; stir we durst not; all we could do was to wait
and listen.

It is strange what, when all other senses fail, the ear will do for one.
I at least could tell that this strange intruder was a woman, and that
the dress she wore was of silk. Further, I could tell that when she
reached the hearth she knelt before the empty fireplace, not for warmth,
but as if seeking something. I could hear what seemed a faint
irresolute tapping with the knuckles; then just as, once more, the wind
fell into a moan without, there c