PART TWO

NIGHT




CHAPTER V: THE ADVENTURE


i

So unexpected was this interruption of her loneliness that Jenny was for
an instant stupefied. She took one step, and then paused, dread firmly
in her mind, paralysing her. What could it be? She could not have been
more frightened if the sound had been the turning of a key in the lock.
Were they back already? Had her hope been spoiled by some accident?
Surely not. It was twenty minutes to nine. They were safe in the theatre
by now. Oh, she was afraid! She was alone in the house--worse than
alone! Jenny cowered. She felt she could not answer the summons.
Tick-tick-tick said the clock, striking across the silences. Again Jenny
made a step forward. Then, terrifying her, the noise began once
more--the thunderous knock, the ping-ping-ping-whir of the bell....

Wrenching her mind away from apprehensiveness she moved quickly to the
kitchen door and into the dimly-lighted dowdy passage-way. Somewhere
beyond the gas flicker and the hat-stand lay--what? With all her
determination she pushed forward, almost running to the door. Her hand
hovered over the little knob of the lock: only horror of a renewal of
that dreadful sound prompted her to open the door quickly. She peered