RIDE made a brave stand, but at last it gave way, and Veronica slipped from the drawing-room to the head of the stairs.
"Andrews," she called softly, and then more loudly: "Andrews," and then with a distinct tremor of anxiety: "Oh, Andrews, are you there?"
"Eh, Miss, is that you?" came a sleepy voice. "Lor! I believe I should have been asleep in another moment."
Veronica gave a little gasp at this. That anyone should sleep under such conditions—they two alone in the house and a storm howling outside—appeared to her very marvellous.
"I'm not frightened either, Andrews," she remarked presently.
"Bless your heart, Miss, that's right!" said Andrews, approvingly. "I think I'll go to bed, Miss."
"Oh, will you?" said Veronica in a dismayed tone. "Er—er—Andrews."
"Yes, Miss."
"If you are at all nervous, Andrews, you can come and sit with me in the
drawing-room."
"Lor, Miss, if you like," said Andrews, cheerfully, and Veronica, hearing her heavy step on the stair, slipped away back to the drawing-room and began reading the paper with a fine appearance of unconcern, though it is true that she did not as a rule show so much interest in the market reports. In a moment or two the smiling Andrews appeared in the doorway.
"It was just sich a night as this," she remarked cheerfully, as a particularly wild gust of wind drove the rain rattling against the window panes, "as I remember my Aunt Jessica Elizabeth telling how two poor lone women—as it might be you and me. Miss—had their throats cut by"
"Oh! Andrews," screamed Veronica. Don't!"
"It is quite true. Miss," said Andrews in an injured tone; "my Aunt Jessica
Elizabeth saw the blood"
"Andrews," said Veronica, desperately, as she tried in vain to keep her teeth from chattering, "how is your rheumatism?"
"Which it is bad enough," said Andrews, gloomily, if a little surprised at the change of subject, quite willing to give all the details Miss Veronica would listen to; "and that there shooting pain in my left arm." And Andrews went on in full flood till all of a sudden she was stricken into palsied fear, as in a momentary lull in the gusty wind they heard quite distinctly a heavy footstep on the gravel path just below the window.
Veronica sat trembling but upright, while Andrews slid to the floor and endeavoured to crawl beneath the sofa. Then Veronica hastily extinguished the lamp as they heard the footsteps pause for a moment and then go on. again.
"Oh, Miss, Miss," said Andrews, weeping, "what did you do that for? If we are to be killed and murdered, let it be in the light, Miss."
"Father told me once," explained Veronica, surprised to find that now her teeth no longer chattered, "that was the best thing to do, because then the burglar can't see you, and you can see him if he has a lantern."
But this was too subtle a precaution for Andrews, who, abandoning in despair the project of concealing her substantial person beneath the sofa, was now hopefully examining the chimney. But as a closer view proved that certainly too small, she crept behind the piano, and audibly bargained with Heaven on the basis of living an absolutely perfect life for the future in consideration of not being murdered that night.
"Andrews," said Veronica, "don't be silly."
"Hide in the china closet, Miss," said Andrews, "and dripping I will never touch again—perhaps they won't look there—which it was me, Miss, as I freely confess, what broke that there best teapot, black and blue though I swore it was the cat. Oh-h-h! I can hear them at the back door." And Andrews collapsed in a heap, too terrified even now to weep.
Gathering up her skirts and slipping off her shoes, Veronica crept silently down the passage to the head of the short flight of stairs that led to the kitchen. Andrews had left the lamp burning, and by its dim light Veronica with horror and choking fear saw a man crawling in through the window. She held her breath in deadly terror while the intruder wriggled his way on to a table, and thence to the ground. She wondered whether he would go away quietly if she offered him everything of value in the house, but she had a conviction that if she opened her mouth to speak she would begin to scream and not be able to stop. Meanwhile the intruder turned up the lamp, so that she had a good look at him.