prisoner in his own house."




CHAPTER XIII

THE WHITE LADY AGAIN


It was perhaps an imprudent thing for the two friends to remain there,
exposed as they were to the danger of discovery at any moment; but, so
completely were they fascinated by what was going on about them, that
they had flung caution to the winds. One thing was in their favor,
however; there was not much likelihood of their being attacked from
below, seeing that all the servants had gone to bed; unless, perhaps,
some late comer entered the house. Still, the risk had to be run, and so
they stood there together, waiting for the next move. It was Venner who
spoke first.

"I cannot get over the extraordinary likeness of that girl to my wife,"
he said. "Is she anything like the woman you saw next door? I mean the
poor half-demented creature who happened to come into the room when you
were talking with the owner?"

"Why, of course, it is the same girl," Gurdon replied.

"Then I am sure she is Vera's sister. I'll ask her about it the first
time I have an opportunity. Be silent and get a little lower down the
stairs. There is somebody coming from the top of the house. We can see