"Some one must be inside," said Audrey. "Let's watch."
"It must be old Maria," said Stephen.
"No, it can't be Maria; we should have seen her come," said Audrey. "Why, we've been sitting looking at that little stone path leading from the gate for nearly an hour. I am quite sure it isn't Maria!"
"Who can it be?" said Stephen. "Oh, Audrey, let's fetch father?"
"No, wait a bit," said Audrey; "your father won't be in. Let's watch it; perhaps we shall see some one."
But although they watched for a long time, no one appeared in the church, nor were they able to discover from whence the light came.
It was not a steady light; it flickered up and down, and the shadows on the roof flickered with it. Nothing else moved in the old church; all else was still as death. But Stephen's heart was beating faster and faster as the minutes went on; and Audrey, feeling how much he trembled, was just going to yield to his wish to go home, when quite suddenly, as suddenly as it had appeared a few minutes before, the light went out, and the old church was once more left in darkness.
[CHAPTER VIII]
Children of Light
IT was a little hard on the children, when they went home to tell their tale of the strange light in the church, to find that no one would believe them. Aunt Cordelia was inclined to be angry, and said: