Then, to her surprise, and somewhat to her dismay, she found that instead of leading her towards the stair it turned in quite the opposite direction.

It led her through certain narrow passages towards the kitchen, turning aside ere she reached it, and guiding her to a door which communicated with a small back yard.
Some of the maids were already up, and this door was standing open.
Across the yard the thread still ran along the ground, until it brought her to a door in the wall which opened upon the Mountainside.

When she had passed through, the thread rose to about half her height, and she could hold it with ease as she walked.

It led her straight up the mountain.
The cause of her alarm was less frightful than she supposed.

The cook's great black cat, pursued by the housekeeper's terrier, had bounced against her bedroom door, which had not been properly fastened, and the two had burst into the room together and commenced a battle royal.