She heard the low voices more clearly now.

Those who spoke were speaking almost in whispers.

She thought that thieves had broken in.

She hurried on a few clothes, cautiously opened her door wider, slipped through, and crept with a beating heart down the stairs.
Half way down the stairs she looked over the rail of the banister, turning her head toward the back part of the house whence the murmurs came.

At the end of the passage was the little room in which the round game of cards was played the night before.