There was not a sound to be heard as Paul Capel stole softly down in his
dressing-gown, and, as he expected, the drawing-room door was closed,
but not latched.
Pushing it softly, feeling certain that Katrine, if it was she, had
entered there, he followed, and went on and on, till he was about in the
middle of the room, and listening attentively.
He began to think that he must have been mistaken, when there was a
faint rustle, and a heavy breath was drawn, the sounds coming from the
lesser drawing-room.
He listened more intently, his heart beating heavily, and a strange
singing in his ears.
Another sound as of something being touched.
The pen-tray on the little card-table where Mr Girtle sat and worked;
and what was that?
Undoubtedly one of the keys that lay there. Another and another was
touched, and as they were moved on the thin mahogany that formed the
bottom of the receptacle for cards the sound seemed quite loud.
Then came a faint scraping sound, and he knew as well as if he had seen
it, that a key was taken up.
Keys? Yes, there were several there which the old lawyer used. Capel
recalled that the key of the plate closet had been placed there when
Preenham had handed it over.
He listened, but there was no further sound. Yes; the low breathing
could be heard, and it suddenly dawned upon Capel that Katrine had been
approaching him--there she was close at hand. He had only to stretch
forth his arms and the next instant she would have been folded to his
breast.
It was a hard fight, but he had read of a sudden awakening under such
conditions proving dangerous.
As he listened there was a faint rustling as the soft grey peignoir he
knew so well passed over the thick carpet towards the door; and if the
listener had any doubt, it was set aside by the light pat that he
heard--it was a hand touching the panel.
Capel waited a minute, during which he heard the dress sweep against the
edge of the door, and then the sound was quite hushed.
He knew what that meant, too; the door had been drawn to, and so he
found it as he stepped lightly there, opened it, and passed out on to
the great landing, where he strained his eyes upward to try and make out
the graceful draped figure as it went up the winding staircase to the
bedroom.
It was not so dark there, for a faint gloom--it could not be called
light--fell from the great ground-glass sky-light, at the top of the
winding staircase, like so much diluted darkness being poured down into
a well.
That great winding staircase suddenly seemed to him full of horror, as
he stood there. It had never struck him before, but now, how terrible
it seemed. That balustrade was so low. Suppose, poor girl, in her
sleep, she should lean over it, and fall down onto the white stones,
where the black fretwork of the glistening stove could be seen like a
square patch against the white slabs.
There was no reason for such fancies, but Paul Capel's hands grew wet
with a cold perspiration.
"I ought to have stopped her, and awakened her at any risk," he said, as
he still gazed up the great staircase; and then his heart seemed to
stand still, for there was a faint click, as of a lock shot back, and it
came either from on a level with where he stood, or from down below.
In an instant he realised what had happened: Katrine had been to fetch
the key of the late Colonel's chamber, and had gone in there.
He hesitated a moment, and then, going close, he softly touched the
door, and felt it yield.
Just then there came a faint scratching noise, and there was a gleam of
light, showing him that the heavy curtain was drawn.
Then the light shone more clearly, and pressing the door a little more
open, he glided through.
He was about to peer out softly, when the light was set down, he heard
the soft rustle of the dress, an arm was thrust round from the far side
of the curtain, and the door was carefully closed.
"The work of a spy," he said. But a slight sound attracted his
attention, and his curiosity mastered all other feelings.
Gently sliding his hand into his pocket, he drew out a penknife, and cut
gently downwards, making a slit a few inches in length.
This he drew slightly apart and gazed through, to see that Katrine was
standing with her back to him, in the act of opening one of the large
cabinets at the side of the bed.