The house had fallen into a dead silence; a whole minute passed away, and nothing stirred but the bats overhead.

I knocked again, and hearkened again.
By this time my ears had grown so accustomed to the quiet, that I could hear the ticking of the clock inside as it slowly counted out the seconds; but whoever was in that house kept deadly still, and must have held his breath.
I was in two minds whether to run away; but anger got the upper hand, and I began instead to rain kicks and buffets on the door, and to shout out aloud for Mr.Balfour.I was in full career, when I heard the cough right overhead, and jumping back and looking up, beheld a man's head in a tall nightcap, and the bell mouth of a blunderbuss, at one of the first-storey windows.
"It's loaded," said a voice.
"I have come here with a letter," I said, "to Mr.Ebenezer Balfour of Shaws.

Is he here ?" "From whom is it ?" asked the man with the blunderbuss.
"That is neither here nor there," said I, for I was growing very wroth.
"Well," was the reply, "ye can put it down upon the doorstep, and be off with ye." "I will do no such thing," I cried.

"I will deliver it into Mr.
Balfour's hands, as it was meant I should.

It is a letter of introduction." "A what ?" cried the voice, sharply.
I repeated what I had said.
"Who are ye, yourself ?" was the next question, after a considerable pause.
"I am not ashamed of my name," said I."They call me David Balfour." At that, I made sure the man started, for I heard the blunderbuss rattle on the window-sill; and it was after quite a long pause, and with a curious change of voice, that the next question followed: "Is your father dead ?" I was so much surprised at this, that I could find no voice to answer, but stood staring.
"Ay" the man resumed, "he'll be dead, no doubt; and that'll be what brings ye chapping to my door." Another pause, and then defiantly, "Well, man," he said, "I'll let ye in;" and he disappeared from the window..