However, the evening was a pleasant one, though Barbara was so tired
that she was hardly an intelligent listener to the music provided, and
fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

She was, therefore, a little surprised when she awoke suddenly two
hours later for apparently no reason at all. She had been dreaming
about something exciting, and lay trying to remember what it was, when
an eerie feeling stole over her, and it seemed as if she heard
breathing--which was not her aunt's--close beside her. She did not
dare to move for a moment. Then she turned her head very gently, and
between the two windows near the recess she was sure she saw a dark
figure. The longer she watched the surer she became, and she knew it
could not be her aunt, whom she heard breathing quietly in the other
bed.

It was certainly a horrible sensation, and all the unpleasant stories
she had ever read crowded into her mind. At first she could not think
what to do, but at last made up her mind to go across the room to Miss
Britton's bed and tell her.

Yawning, and pretending to wake up gradually, though all the time she
felt as if she had been lying there for hours, she called out, "Aunt
Anne, I can't sleep, so I'm coming into your bed."

Miss Britton awoke at once--she was a light sleeper--and at first I
think she imagined her niece was mad.

"If you can't sleep in your own bed," she said, "I'm quite sure you
won't sleep in mine, for it's not big enough for two."

But Barbara persisted, and at last her aunt gave way. "Well," she said
at last, rather crossly, "be quick if you are coming. I don't want to
be kept awake all night."

The truth was, it seemed so horrible to cross the room close to that
black figure--as she would have to do--that Barbara lingered a moment,
screwing up her courage. It was hard, certainly, to walk slowly
across, for she thought she should not run, feeling all the time as if
two hands would catch hold of her in the darkness. She was very glad
to creep in beside her aunt, and at first could not do anything but lie
and listen to that lady's grumblings. Then warning her not to scream,
she whispered very softly that there was a man beside the window. Miss
Britton took it wonderfully coolly, and after the first start said
nothing for a few minutes. Then she remarked in loud, cheerful tones,
"Well, child, as you are not sleepy, let us talk about our plans for
to-morrow."

They talked a long time,