owner's breast, and the fierce, vindictive
expression passed from his face as there was a violent ringing of the
largest of the row of bells hanging to their right, and Chester turned
sharply round, taper in hand, to look questioningly at the old man.

"Dear me!" he said, smiling, "how tiresome! This is one of the troubles
of living quite alone, my dear young friend. I always have to answer my
own door. I'm afraid that I must ask you to come back to the front
room. Would you mind bringing the light? Thank you; I will take it."

He blew out the clear little flame as they reached the glass door, and
then set down the basket, before leading the way back into the library,
where he glanced from the window.

"Dear me!" he said. "More books. So very late in the day too. They
always come at awkward times. Pray sit down or look at some of my
works. You'll find something to interest you, I feel sure. Yes--yes;
I'm coming," he said, as the bell rang loudly again. "Don't be so
impatient, my good men, don't be so impatient."

"One moment; if you have business, I will go now," said Chester.

"Oh, by no means," said the old man. "I shall not be many moments.
Pray take a book and my chair, there. It is only the railway men. I
shall soon be done."

Chester did not take the chair, but began to inspect the dusty shelves,
while he heard the front door open and after a time the sound of heavy
feet upon the steps, and then the bump down of what sounded like a heavy
chest. Then more steps outside, the rattle of a chain belonging to the
tail-board of a van, and the steps again.

Then he ceased to hear anything that was going on, for his thoughts had
run to the adjoining house and his experiences there, but only to be
succeeded by an indescribable sensation of dread--a singular feeling of
malaise which troubled his faculties. It was like a portent of
something hanging over him, or over her who occupied so much of his
thoughts.

"I can't stay here," he said to himself. "I must get out into the open
air. This place makes me feel sick and faint."

He picked up one of the many books lying about, and threw it down again
impatiently, to walk to the door, where he could hear the old student
directing the men who had brought the consignment; while from the sounds
it was evident that they were carrying the chests or whatever they were,
down into the basement.

Feeling that it would be rude to interrupt his host then, he we