shade fell from the man's hand with a crash, and the young ladies
clung to one another aghast, for mortal terror was in the cry, and a
dead silence followed it.

"What was it, John?" demanded Octavia, very pale, but steady in a
moment.

"I'll go and see, miss." And the man hurried away.

"Where did the dreadful scream come from?" asked Rose, collecting her
wits as rapidly as possible.

"Above us somewhere. Oh, let us go down among people; I am frightened to
death," whispered Blanche, trembling and faint.

Hurrying into the parlor, they found only Annon and the major, both
looking startled, and both staring out of the windows.

"Did you hear it? What could it be? Don't go and leave us!" cried the
girls in a breath, as they rushed in.

The gentlemen had heard, couldn't explain the cry, and were quite ready
to protect the pretty creatures who clustered about them like frightened
fawns. John speedily appeared, looking rather wild, and as eager to tell
his tale as they to listen.

"It's Patty, one of the maids, miss, in a fit. She went up to the north
gallery to see that the fires was right, for it takes a power of wood to
warm the gallery even enough for dancing, as you know, miss. Well, it
was dark, for the fires was low and her candle went out as she whisked