He threw himself into a chair, and sat till his candle went out, thinking deeply about his sister and her unfortunate connection with Candlish.
“No,” he said, rising slowly; “I cannot act upon that note. It would be too paltry.”
He stopped short, for just then the church clock rang out clearly the first stroke of midnight.
It was the hour named in the letter, and the thought came to him with a flash.
“No,” he cried fiercely; “I cannot do that;” but in spite of his words the spirit within warned him that he occupied the position of parent to his sister, and, quickly throwing open his door, he walked across to Leo’s room and tapped sharply, and waited for a reply.
Volume Three—Chapter Four.
The Open Window.
As a rule, repeated knockings at a bedroom door when there is no response create alarm; thoughts of accident, illness, murder, teeming to the brain of the one who summons, and the alarm soon spreads through the house.