I had been in dreamless sleep for hours.
The joy of that discovery! The transport of waking to it, and waking refreshed! The swift and sudden miracle that it seemed! I shall never, never forget it, still less the sickening thrill of fear which was cruelly quick to follow upon my joy.

The cottage was still as the tomb.
What if I had slept too long! With trembling hand I found my watch.
Luckily I had wound it in the early morning.

I now carried it to the window, drew back the blind, and held it in the moonlight.

It was not quite ten o'clock.

And yet the cottage was so still--so still.
I stole to the door, opened it by cautious degrees, and saw the reflection of a light below.