I really believe.'

'You know that I have not,' muttered he, in a tone of deep meaning.

'There's no light now to show him the house; Mr. Walpole must come
to-morrow, when papa will be at home and delighted to see him.'

'May I really do this?'

'Perhaps, besides, your friend will have found the little inn so
insupportable, that he too will join us. Listen to that sigh of poor Nina's
and you'll understand what it is to be dreary!'

'No; I want my tea.'

'And it shall have it,' said Kate, kissing her with a petting affectation
as she left the room.

'Now one word, only one,' said Walpole, as he drew his chair close to her:
'If I swear to you--'

'What's that? who is Kate angry with?' cried Nina, rising and rushing
towards the door. 'What has happened?'

'I'll tell you what has happened,' said Kate, as with flashing eyes and
heightened colour she entered the room. 'The large gate of the outer yard,
that is every night locked and strongly barred at sunset, has been left
open, and they tell me that three men have come in, Sally says five, and
are hiding in some of the outhouses.'

'What for? Is it to rob, think you?' asked Walpole.

'It is certainly for nothing good. They all know that papa is away, and
the house so far unprotected,' continued Kate calmly. 'We must find out
to-morrow who has left the gate unbolted. This was no accident, and now
that they are setting fire to the ricks all round us, it is no time for
carelessness.'

'Shall we search the offices and the outbuildings?' asked Walpole.

'Of course not; we must stand by the house and take care that they do not
enter it. It's a strong old place, and even if they forced an entrance
below, they couldn't set fire to it.'

'Could they force their way up?' asked Walpole.

'Not if the people above have any courage. Just come and look at the stair;
it was made in times when people thought of defending themselves.' They
issued forth now together to the top of the landing, where a narrow, steep
flight of stone steps descended between two walls to the basement-storey.
A little more than half-way down was a low iron gate or grille of
considerable strength; though, not being above four feet in height, it
could have been no great defence, which seemed, after all, to have been its
intention. 'When this is closed,' said Kate, shutting it with a heavy bang,
'it's not such easy work to pass up against two or three resolute people at
the top; and see here,' added