"What if the door isn't locked? And what if I should walk right in, and sit down? What would happen?"
She looked elfish as she asked the questions, a smile parting her lips.
Carefully she turned the knob and then, a gentle push opened the door, and on tiptoe, she entered, making her way along the hall to a room where the sunlight streamed across the floor.
The hall had been dark, and coming suddenly upon the broad band of 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!"