Beside it stood a rather clever heating apparatus which Casey did not examine in detail.

His Irish heart was beating rather fast while he unfastened the door.

Beyond that door his thoughts went questing eagerly but he hesitated nevertheless before he lifted his knuckles and rapped.
There was no reply.

Casey waited a minute, knocked again, then pulled the door open a crack and looked in.

The old woman sat there rocking back and forth, steadily, quietly.