Then she said her prayers.

Then she rose from her knees, and in tones of honey said, "Puss! puss!
pretty puss!" and awaited a result.

Thieves and ghosts she did not believe in, yet credited cats under beds,
and thought them neither "harmless" nor "necessary" there.

After tenderly evoking the dreaded and chimerical quadruped, she
proceeded none the less to careful research, especially of cupboards. The
door of one resisted, and then yielded with a crack, and blew out the
candle. "There now," said she.

It was her only light, except her beauty. They allotted each Hebe but one
candle, in that ancient burgh. "Well," she thought, "there is moonlight
enough to _un_dress by." She went to draw back one of the curtains; but
in the act she started back with a little scream. There was a tall figure
over the way watching the house.

The moon shone from her side of the street full on him, and in that
instant her quick eye recognised Mr. Hardie.

"Well!" said she aloud, and with an indescribable inflexion; and hid
herself swiftly in impenetrable gloom.

But, after a while, Eve's daughter must have a peep. She stole with
infinite caution to one side of the curtain, and made an aperture just
big enough for one bright eye. Yes, there he was, motionless. "I'll tell
mamma," said she to him, malignantly, as if the sound could reach him.