rose to the latch,
and opened the door. By the hand he knew it was lady Arctura.

"Welcome to the stormy sky, my lady!" he said, as he entered the room
after her--a pleasant object after his crawling excursion!

She started a little at his voice behind her, and turning was more
startled still.

Donal was more like a chimney-sweep than a tutor in a lord's castle. He
was begrimed and blackened from head to foot, and carried a pailful of
coals and wood. Reading readily her look, he made haste to explain.

"I have been on the roof for the last hour," he said.

"What were you doing there," she asked, with a strange mingling of
expressions, "in such a night?"

"I heard the music, my lady--the ghost-music, you know, that haunts the
castle, and--"

"I heard it too," she murmured, with a look almost of terror. "I have
often heard it before, but never so loud as to-night. Have you any
notion about it, Mr. Grant?"

"None whatever--except that I am nearly sure it comes from somewhere
about the roof."

"If you could clear up the mystery!"

"I have some hope of it.--You are not frightened, my lady?"

She had caught hold of the back of a chair.

"Do sit down. I will get you some water."

"No, no; I shall be right in a moment!" she answered. "Your stair has
taken my breath away. But my uncle is in such a strange condition that
I could not help coming to you."

"I have seen him myself, more than once, very strange."

"Will you come with me?"

"Anywhere."

"Come then."

She left the room, and led the way, by the light of her dim taper, down
the stair. About the middle of it, she stopped at a door, and turning
said, with a smile like that of a child, and the first untroubled look
Donal had yet seen upon her face--

"How delightful it is to be taken out of fear! I am not the least
afraid now!"

"I am very glad," said Donal. "I should like to kill fear; it is the
shadow that follows at the heels of wrong.--Do you think the music has
anything to do with your uncle's condition?"

"I do not know."

She turned again hastily, and passing through the door, entered a part
of the house with which Donal had no acquaintance. With many
bewildering turns, she led him to the great staircase, down which she
continued her course. The house was very still: it must surely be later
than he had thought--only there were so few servants in it for its
extent! His guide went very fast, with a step light as a bird's: at one
moment he