He trotted down the hill, beating his feet hard, until he reached the more level road, where he set out at full speed, and soon was warm as any boy need care to be.
About three o'clock in the morning, the laird woke suddenly, without knowing why.

But he was not long without knowing why he should not go to sleep again.

From a distance, as it seemed, through the stillness of the night, in rapid succession, came three distinct shrieks, one close on the other, as from the throat of a human being in mortal terror.

Never had such shrieks invaded his ears.

Whether or not they came from some part of his own house, he could not tell.