sanguine. “They’ll never let us in, never!” “We’ll see about that.” I gritted my teeth, as I have a trick of doing when I am in earnest. I was in earnest then. It is owing to the firm’s artfulness that there are no bells or knockers on the doors leading to the assistants’ quarters. When they are open you can get in; when they are closed there are no means provided to call attention to the fact that you require admission. They had been unloading some packing-cases. I picked up two heavy pieces of wood which had been left lying about; with them I started to hammer at the door. How I did hammer! I kept it up ever so long; but no one paid the slightest heed. I began to despair. Emily was crying all the while. I felt like crying with her. Instead, I gritted my teeth still more, and I hammered, and I hammered. At last a window was opened overhead, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Galloway, put her head out. “Who’s that making this disgraceful noise at this hour of the night?” “It’s Miss Purvis and Miss Blyth. Come down and let us in; we’ve been nearly robbed and murdered.” “I daresay! You don’t enter this house to-night; you know the rules. And if you don’t take yourselves off this instant I’ll send for the police.” “Send for the police, that’s what we want you to do. The police will soon see if you won’t let us in.” Mrs. Galloway’s head disappeared; the window was banged. Emily cried louder than ever. “I told you she’d never let us in.” “We’ll see if she won’t.” Off I started again to hammer. Presently steps were heard coming along the passage. Mrs. Galloway’s voice came from the other side of the door. “Stop that disgraceful noise! Go away! Do you hear me, go away!” “If we do it will be to fetch the police. They’ll soon show you if you can keep us out all night when we’ve been nearly robbed and murdered.” The door was opened perhaps three inches; as I believed, upon the chain. I knew Mrs. Galloway’s little tricks. But if it was upon the chain what occurred was odd. Someone came hurrying up the steps
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