Tap, tap—tap—tap tap.
No one spoke. The candle shook in my lady’s hand till it threatened to fall and leave us in utter darkness. Dame Franklin and the old soldier were frozen in their places. Then again:
Tap tap—tap—tap tap.
“Oh, Mother,” I whispered, “the passage! The secret passage! Our enemies have found it.”
There was another fearsome silence. Then again—Tap tap—tap—tap tap.
Then the echoes of the great vault were roused by a loud, clear call from my lady mother:
“Oh, my lord! My Lord Mountjoy, is it thou?”
There came a muffled voice in reply, and again we heard the tapping.
DAME FRANKLIN AND THE OLD SOLDIER WERE FROZEN IN THEIR PLACES