sunlight, Gwen was almost blinded, and for a few seconds, she did not
see other objects in the room. A chair stood near the door, and she
climbed upon it, squirming around, and sitting down as if it were
exactly what she had come intending to do.

She wondered why the house was so still.

She also wondered where the pleasant faced lady was. She felt strangely
nervous, and a bit afraid.

She could not have told why she felt afraid to move, and so sat
absolutely still. Her eyes roved from one object to another, first
looking at the pictures on the wall, then the ornaments upon the mantel,
then the lamp upon the table just before her, then,--

Between the lamp, and a tall vase that stood near it, a pair of eyes
were looking sharply at her.

Gwen clutched the arms of her chair, caught her breath in terror, and
then screamed.

"Strange that I can't read without being interrupted by a child who
knows no better than to poke her impudent little nose in here,
uninvited!"

The voice low and angry made her tremble with fear, and she slid from
the chair, raced out through the hall, ran down the street, never once
looked behind her.

"I won't _ever_ go _anywhere_ again, unless somebody asks me to," she