As I gazed I distinctly saw at one of the windows the glint of a light, which suddenly vanished, and then shone out once more from another higher up.

There it flickered for some time, and finally flashed past two successive windows underneath before the trees obscured our view of it.

It was clear that some one bearing a lamp or a candle had climbed up the tower stairs and had then returned into the body of the house.
"Who in the world can it be ?" I exclaimed, speaking rather to myself than to Esther, for I could see by the surprise upon her face that she had no solution to offer.

"Maybe some of the folk from Branksome-Bere have wanted to look over the place." My sister shook her head.
"There is not one of them would dare to set foot within the avenue gates," she said.

"Besides, John, the keys are kept by the house-agent at Wigtown.