protruded from one of them and wiggled at me in a merry but exceedingly
irritating manner.

Sensibly I restored the lanthorn to its place inside the window and
waited for the mysterious voice to resume.

"Are you so homely as all that?" I demanded when the shadowy face
looked out once more. Very clever of me, I thought.

"I am considered rather good-looking," she replied, serenely. "Please
don't do that again. It was very rude of you, Mr. Smart." "Oh, I've
seen something of you before this," I said. "You have long, beautiful
brown hair--and a dog."

She was silent.

"I am sure you will pardon me if I very politely ask who you are?" I
went on.

"That question takes me back to the favour. Will you be so very, very
kind as to cease bothering me, Mr. Smart? It is dreadfully upsetting,
don't you feeling that at any moment you may rush in and--"

"I like that. In my own castle, too!"

"There is ample room for both of us," she said sharply. "I shan't be
here for more than a month or six weeks, and I am sure we can get along
very amiably under the same roof for that length of time if you'll
only forget that I am here."