As she passed Elfreda's room she heard her name uttered in a sibilant whisper.

Wheeling at the sound, Grace stepped to the stout girl's door.

Elfreda drew her in and, closing the door, said nervously: "What do you suppose has happened?
I waited and waited for the An--Miss Atkins and she didn't appear, so I went down to her room and found the door closed.

I knocked at least a dozen times, until my knuckles ached, but not a sound came from within.

Then I came back to my room and waited.