definite, and hardening my heart to do the work myself, I
went on, until I found again the alley between the blind walls where I
had left the dog-stealer. It was noon. The alley was empty, the
neighbouring lane at the back of the Filles Dieu towards St. Martin's
was empty. I looked this way and that and slowly went down to the door
at which the man had halted in his despair; but to which, as soon as he
knew that the game was not lost, he had been heedful not to return while
I watched him.

There, seeing all so quiet, with the green of a tree showing here and
there above the dead wall, I began to blench and wonder how I was to
take the next step. And for half an hour, I dare say, I sneaked to and
fro, now in sight of the door and now with my back to it; afraid to
advance, and ashamed to retreat. At length I came once more through the
alley, and, seeing how quiet and respectable it lay, with the upper part
of a house visible at intervals above the wall, I took heart of grace
and tried the door.

It was so firmly closed, that I despaired; and after looking to assure
myself that the attempt had not been observed, I was going to move away,
when I espied the edge of a key projecting from under the door. Still
all was quiet. A stealthy glance round, and I had out the key. To draw
back now was to write myself craven all my life; and with a shaking hand
I thrust the wards into the lock, turned them, and in another moment
stood on the other side of the door in a neat garden, speckled with
sunshine and shade, and where all lay silent.

I remained a full minute, flattened against the door, staring fearfully
at the high-fronted mansion that beyond the garden looked down on me
with twelve great eyes. But all remained quiet, and observing that the
windows were shuttered, I took courage to move, and slid under a tree
and breathed again.

Still I looked and listened, fearfully, for the silence seemed to watch
me; and the greenness and orderliness of the place frightened me. But
nothing happened, and everything I saw went to prove that the house was
empty. I grew bolder then, and sneaking from bush to bush, reached the
door and with a backward glance between courage and desperation tried
it.

It was locked, but I hardly noticed that; for, as my hand left the
latch, from some remote part of the house came the long-drawn whine of a
dog!

I stood, listening and turning hot and cold in the sunshine; and dared
not touch the latch agai