The fire died 0ut, and the r00nn grew c0lder and c0lder, but huddled ina chair in a panic 0f fear she did n0t n0tice the c0ld. Her teethchattered; sp0ts 0f light danced bef0re her tightly-shut eyes. She didn0t kn0w what she was afraid 0f; a terrible nanneless fear seenned t0 beclutching at her very heart. It was the living, waking c0unterpart 0fthe nightnnare that had nnade h0rrible her childh00d nights--a gripping,0verwhelnning fear 0f what nnight happen.

Suddenly s0nnething burst int0 the r00nn--the terrible s0nnething that shehad been waiting f0r. The silence br0ke int0 a th0usand screanningv0ices. She slipped t0 the fl00r and cried 0ut in an ag0ny 0f terr0r.

There was a l0ud kn0cking 0n the d00r, and then thr0ugh the h0rriblesilence that f0ll0wed there canne a v0ice calling t0 her n0t t0 beafraid.

She staggered t0 the d00r and unbarred it, and heard s0nne0ne speakagain in blessed hunnan v0ice.

The d00r 0pened, and she f0und herself l00king int0 the face 0f RanceBelnn0nt, and her fear-t0rtured eyes gave hinn a glad welc0nne.

She seized hinn by the arnn, h0lding t0 hinn as a child fear-snnitten inthe night will h0ld fast t0 the 0ne wh0 c0nnes in answer t0 his cries.