She and Leah helped me up-stairs at ten o'clock. Miss Fielding flung me a cheery "Good night, Chet!" and went into her room alone.
A few minutes after, I heard a soft tapping at my door. Leah was there with a jug of milk and some biscuits.
"I thought you might like something to eat, perhaps, before you went to bed," she said. "Miss Joy forgot to speak of it."
"Thank you, Leah," I said, taking the little tray. I was about to close the door when she gave me a look that delayed me.
"Did you want anything else?" I asked.
"Do you mind if I speak to you for a minute?" she asked. She stopped and listened intently for a moment.
"Leah, where in the world are you?" Miss Fielding called impatiently.
Leah, spoke in an undertone to me. "Please wait. I'll be in as soon as I can." Then she went into Miss Fielding's room.
I left my door ajar and sat down by the window. The rain had ceased, and a full moon was breaking through masses of drifting cumulous clouds over the top of the hill behind the house. I could hear the dogs snapping and growling occasionally in their sleep, and below, in his little box of a room off the library, Uncle Jerdon's deep snoring. I must have been there for fifteen minutes before Leah reappeared with her candle. She shut the door noiselessly and came softly up to my side.
"Mr. Castle, how are you feeling, now?" she asked.