No distance had ever seemed so long to her as that which separated her from the hall door which Eudaldo was already opening for her.

But she dared not hasten her step, for though Inez moved with perfect certainty in the house, she always walked with a certain deliberate caution, and often stopped to listen, while crossing a room.

The blind girl was listening now, with all her marvellous hearing, to be sure that all went well till Dolores should be outside.

She knew exactly how many steps there were from where she stood to the entrance, for she had often counted them.
Dolores must have been not more than three yards from the door, when Inez started involuntarily, for she heard a sound from without, far off--so far that Dolores could not possibly have heard it yet, but unmistakable to the blind girl's keener ear.

She listened intently--there were Dolores' last four steps to the open doorway, and there were others from beyond, still very far away in the vaulted corridors, but coming nearer.