the young moon. The call of the Child of Heaven is heard in her heart,
and will bring her home to the Child as it has brought her to us
to-night. Now lead her hence still sleeping, O brave and clever one, so
well named Watcher-by-Night."

Then they were gone and presently I heard the sound of horses being
driven rapidly along the drive.

For a moment I hesitated as to whether I would or would not run in and
shoot those horses. Two considerations stayed me. The first was that
if I did so my pistol would be empty, or even if I shot one horse
and retained a barrel loaded, with it I could only kill a single man,
leaving myself defenceless against the knife of the other. The second
consideration was that now as before I did not wish to wake up Miss
Holmes.

I crept to her and not knowing what else to do, took hold of one of her
outstretched hands. She turned and came with me at once as though she
knew me, remaining all the while fast asleep. Thus we went back to the
house, through the still open door, up the stairway straight to her own
room, on the threshold of which I loosed her hand. The room was dark and
I could see nothing, but I listened until I heard a sound as of a person
throwing herself upon the bed and drawing up the blankets. Then knowing
that she was safe for a while, I shut the door, which opened outwards
as doors of ancient make sometimes do, and set against it a little table
that stood in the passage.

Next, after reflecting for a minute, the circumstances being awkward in
many ways, I went to my room and lit a candle. Obviously it was my
duty to inform Lord Ragnall of what had happened and that as soon as