Creak!
She moved, then turned gently, smiling sweetly in her sleep as she did so, and one word escaped her lips:
“Walter!”
The man outside smiled sweeter than ever at this and again placed his hand on the sill.
“Take care! beware!”
He started as if he had been shot, and cowered under the wall in affright. He had heard a loud, shrill voice away in the forest utter those words, and a deadly fear overcame him.
For many times of late he had heard that voice, warning him of evil; too many times he had laughed at it; but now?
Creak!
He was thoroughly frightened and fairly shook with fear, though a bolder man never trod the earth. He might well shake.
He listened for a repetition but it did not come. Then after a few moments he recovered and laughed at himself, and again for the third time placed his hand on the sill.