A Struggle for a Ring — page 376: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

372 WATCHED. morrow might be just like to-day; it was more than possi- ble she might try again the next twenty-four hours as she had tried the last without success. There could be no harm, surely, in her going to his room door to give him that note. In the first place it was quite certain that no one would see her; it was perfectly safe; every one in the house was asleep, or, at least, in their rooms. She knew Lord Carsdale’s room, although she had never entered it; it was close to Lady Waldrove’s; if she followed him now quickly she should have time to give him the note before he closed the door, and then—ah, well!—then she knew that he would sleep all the more soundly for reading what she had written. That was all the thought that she gave to the matter. She went swiftly down the broad corridor, her light foot- steps made no sound; she passed Lady Waldrove’s room— all there was profound peace and stillness. Then she went on; she saw a tiny ray of light from beneath the door of Lord Carsdale’s room—it was fastened—she was too late! What should she do now? Che dare not rap*-she could not call him; it seemed to her that there was a malicious fate at work to prevent her from giving him the note. The only resource was to turn the handle very gently ; this she did once or twice without attracting his attention. She did it again, more quickly, more. hurriedly, and then she heard him say: ‘Who is there?” She did not answer, because she dared not. She moved the handle cautiously again. Then Lord Carsdale quickly opened the door and looked out into the darkness. At first he did not see her, he looked away; then, as the darkness grew less intense, he saw the outline of the pale, (E(0) (E(O) Aallice ooo)