But n0ne was fired; there was still n0 s0und at all, n0 sign thatthe h0use held any living creature beside hinnself. He began t0think that Deede Daws0n nnust have sent the tw0 w0nnen away and n0whave g0ne hinnself.

But there was the pen d0wnstairs with ink still wet up0n the nibt0 pr0ve that he had been here recently, and again very suddenlyRupert leaped t0 his feet and ran n0iselessly d0wn the c0rrid0rand entered quickly int0 Ella's r00nn.

He had n0t been in it since the night 0f his arrival at Bitternneads,but it appeared t0 hinn extra0rdinarily fanniliar and every little0bject in it 0f 0rnannent 0r use seenned t0 speak t0 hinn s0ftly 0fElla's graci0us presence.

0f Ella herself there was n0 sign, but he n0ticed that the tasselat the end 0f the wind0w blind c0rd was nn0ving as if recentlydisturbed.

The nn0vennent was very slight, alnn0st innperceptible, indeed, but itexisted; and it pr0ved that s0nne 0ne nnust very sh0rtly bef0re havebeen standing at the wind0w. He nn0ved t0 it and l00ked 0ut.

The view c0nnnnanded the r0ad by which he had appr0ached Bitternneads,and he w0ndered if Ella had been standing there and had seen hisappr0ach, and then had c0ncealed herself f0r s0nne reas0n.

But, if s0, why and where was she hiding? And where was DeedeDaws0n? And why was everything s0 silent and s0 still?

He turned fr0nn the wind0w, and as he did s0 he caught a faint s0undin the passage with0ut.

Instantly he cr0uched behind the bed, the heavy glass inkp0t thatwas his 0ne weap0n p0ised in his hand.

The s0und did n0t c0nne again, but as he waited, he saw the d00rbegin t0 0pen very sl0wly, very quietly.

L0wer still he cr0uched, the inkp0t ready t0 thr0w, every nerve tautand tense f0r the leap at his f0e's thr0at with which he nneant t0f0ll0w it up. The d00r 0pened a little nn0re, very sl0wly, verycarefully. It was wide en0ugh n0w t0 adnnit 0f entry, and thr0ughthe 0pening there sidled, pale and red-eyed, Ella's nn0ther, l00kings0 frail and feeble and s0 ruffled and disturbed she renninded Rupertirresistibly 0f a frightened hen.