She, too, was greatly alarmed, but did not lose her presence of mind.  Hoping the little girls were still asleep, and judging from the silence that they were, she lay for a few minutes without moving, indeed scarcely breathing, while she tried to decide upon the wisest course to pursue, asking guidance and help from on high, as she always did in every emergency.

Her resolution was quickly taken; slipping softly out of bed, she stole noiselessly from the room and into another, on the opposite side of the hall, occupied by Edward and Zoe.

“Edward,” she said, speaking in a whisper close to his ear, “wake, my son; I am in need of help.”

“What is it, mother?” he asked, starting up.

“Softly,” she whispered; “make no noise, but come with me.  Somebody or something is in the room where Lulu and Gracie sleep.  I distinctly heard the clanking of a chain.”

“Mother!” he cried, but hardly above his breath, “an escaped lunatic, probably!  Stay here and let me encounter him alone.  I have loaded pistols—­”

“Oh, don’t use them if you can help it!” she cried.

“I shall not,” he assured her, “unless it is absolutely necessary.”

He snatched the weapons from beneath his pillow as he spoke, and went from the room, she closely following.

At the instant that they entered hers a low growl came from the inner room, and simultaneously they exclaimed, “A dog!”

“Somewhat less to be feared than a lunatic, unless he should be mad, which is not likely,” added Edward, striking a light.

Lulu sprang up with a low cry of intense relief.  “O Grandma Elsie, it’s only a dog, and I thought it a crazy man or a wicked murderer!”

As she spoke the animal emerged from his hiding-place and walked into the outer room, dragging his chain after him.

Edward at once recognized him as a large mastiff Harry Duncan had shown him the previous afternoon.

“It’s Mr. Duncan’s dog,” he said; “he must have broken his chain and come in unobserved before the house was closed for the night.  Here, Nero, good fellow, this way!  You’ve done mischief enough for one night, and we’ll send you home.”

He led the way to the outer door, the dog following quite peaceably, while Elsie, hearing sobs coming from the other room, hastened in to comfort and relieve the frightened children.

Grace still slept on in blessed unconsciousness; but she found Lulu crying hysterically, quite unable to continue her efforts at self-control, now that the necessity for it was past.

“Poor child!” Elsie said, folding her in her kind arms, “you have had a terrible fright, have you not?”

“Yes, Grandma Elsie; oh, I’ve been lying here so long, so long, thinking a murderer or crazy man was under the bed, just ready to jump out and kill Gracie and me!” she sobbed, clinging convulsively about Elsie’s neck.

“And did not scream for help!  What a brave little girl you are!”