Arrived at the door, the impulse capriciously left her.
She stopped on the mat, wondering why she had hurried herself, with time to spare.

Her heart sank; the fever of her excitement changed suddenly to a chill as she faced the closed door, and asked herself the question, Dare I go in?
Her own hand answered her.

She lifted it to turn the handle of the lock.
It dropped again helplessly at her side.
The sense of her own irresolution wrung from her a low exclamation of despair.

Faint as it was, it had apparently not passed unheard.

The door was opened from within--and Horace stood before her.
He drew aside to let her pass into the room.