Doctor Hugh snapped on the porch lamp, carefully turning the shade to shield Rosemary's eyes from the sudden light. He was fully dressed and had evidently been dozing in the swing.
"Hush—don't wake Mother!" he said warningly. "What frightened you, dear?"
Rosemary's face was quite white and her wide, startled eyes gave eloquent testimony that she had been alarmed.
"Something wet touched me—wet and cold," she whispered. "And there was something else moving around, too. I ran as fast as I could."
"Some of the farm animals out for a stroll," said Doctor Hugh with a quiet assurance that his sister found most comforting. "What do you say to going to bed now, dear, and investigating in the morning?"
"Oh, yes," agreed Rosemary. "Is it nearly morning, Hugh?"
The doctor consulted his watch.
"It is just eleven o'clock," he said quietly. "Try not to make a noise as you go upstairs for I hope Mother is asleep. I'll turn the lamp so that it will light you as far as the landing."
So she had been out there only two hours, thought Rosemary as she tumbled into her own bed. Two hours!
"It seemed like two years!" she murmured, drifting off into a peaceful sleep almost instantly.