I approached it to see if my ever watchful neighbors had retired.

Their window was dark, but I observed what was of much more vital interest to me at that moment.

It was that I was not the only one awake and stirring in our house.

The light from a room diagonally below me poured in a stream on the opposite wall, and it took but a moment's consideration for me to decide that the shadow I saw crossing and recrossing this brilliant square was cast by Mrs.Packard.
My first impulse was to draw back--( that was the lady's impulse not quite crushed out of me by the occupation circumstances had compelled me to take up)--my next, to put out my own light and seat myself at the post of observation thus afforded me.

The excuse I gave myself for this was plausible enough.