‘On the whole,’ said Juana, ‘I am quite prepared to see my—father.’
The door of the drawing-room burst open, and Bridget’s head appeared.
‘Miss Teresa, there’s someone in the sheds,’ she cried. ‘I heard a noise like that of the Banshee of MacGillicuddy. Eh! Miss Juana, and is it yesilf I see?’
At sight of the circus-girl Bridget wept, but she did not leave the vicinity of the door.
‘Turn out every light,’ said Richard.
No sooner had he said the word than he leapt up and extinguished the lamp which hung from the middle of the ceiling.
‘Run, Mrs. Bridget,’ he commanded, ‘and put out the others.’
Bridget departed.
The other three went out into the porch, and at Richard’s suggestion Juana led her mare away behind the house. They were obliged to leave the car where it stood, since it was impossible to move it without noise.
The house was now in darkness. Bridget had joined the rest in the porch. They stood braced, tense, silent, waiting—waiting for they knew not what.